I agree generally, a 9th - 15th place finish. Can't really see us doing much better than that, but also don't really see us struggling.
How long will it be before Hansen, Lawrenson etc say that we are punching above our weight/won't be able to maintain this level/are bound to struggle with injuries? In other words, how long before people start to notice us? Oh, and this is my first go, but you may be able to work out my surname and allegiance from my log in title. I'm a sad crossword enthusiast...
Frankly some of the predictions listed above are hilarious. --- The Elite Mini-League: 1. Man City 2. Man Utd --- The Champions League Contenders: 3. Chelsea 4. Arsenal 5. Spurs --- The Europa League Regulars: 6. Liverpool 7. Newcastle --- The Mid-Table Free-For-All: 8. Everton (Jelavic for an entire season, and Moyes as manager = recipe for success) 9. Sunderland (With Martin O'Neill at the helm, top 10 is a real possibility) 10. Fulham (always here or there abouts) 11. Norwich (once survival was secured, and in 8th place, shut-down for the remainder of the season, never-say-die attitude, strong team ethic, with more signings and a seasons PL adjustment for those League 1 players, dangerous as Paul Lambert operates a successful rotational strategy, us fans struggle to name the XI let alone the tactics/formation, youngest team in the Premier League with average age of 25, http://tinyurl.com/camc275...as you can probably tell, my team ) 12. Swansea (will bolster squad-depth, their achilles heel) 13. West Brom (could suffer post-Hodgson, if so wil drop into the mini-league below) 14. Stoke (quality players, always here or there abouts) --- The Relegation Contenders: 17. Wigan (if continue in current form, can aim higher, but then again fully deserved to be in the bottom 3 given their 1st half of the season) 18. Aston Villa (on the slippery slope?) 19. QPR/Bolton (former is an embarassment to football, hope they get relegated this season, Bolton will be in bottom 3 guaranteed next season) --- The Noobs/Fresh-Prey: Reading (Are they QPR version.2012? Need to invest heavily in young, ambitious, non-mercenary players) Southampton (Hope that you stay up and join the prestigious 3-year-League 1>Premiership Survivor club, it's very lonely with just Norwich atm ) West Ham/Birmingham/Blackpool (West Ham will stay up guaranteed, the latter two would be in a dog-fight for relegation) --- Southampton Must admit, I haven't heard of many of your players besides Llalana (s.p?), Sharp (what a superb role-model following such an awful tragedy), Lambert (looking forward to him in his quest to replicate Grant Holt, 16 goals in PL atm, hope he stays injury-free!) Your club's history, stadium and fans point to your deserved place in the Premier League. If you invest sensibly the Swansea/Norwich way in young, ambitious, lower-league players rather than a lets-buy-all-the-ex-england-internationals-with-proven-PL-"experience" QPR strategy (which spectacularly backfired, and are now stuck with these mercenaries if they stay up who will earn £££ without contributing much), and to have a chance, must buy yet more awful players...QPR = Premier League Retirement/Pension Home)...you will survive. The fact that P7-14 is separated by 7 points should illustrate the free-for-all nature, and you should slot in thereabouts.
I'm looking forward to the none pressure football for the start of the season. We took the championship by storm when the heat was off and I hope we can do the same as football is more enjoyable than the pressure of the last few months.
Excellent post. Myself I am hoping for a safe mid-table position with little concern regarding fear of the drop whilst playing our open football style of play.
I'm looking forward to a different kind of fight. This season just gone, having done so well from the start, there was a fear of dropping out of the top two, that made it pretty nerve racking towards the end. But next season, I'd expect to be fighting with clubs to stay above the zone, how far above I have no idea, but I reckon we'll well suited to handle the pressure. Theres some good clubs, that are also similar, so it should be a cracking season & equally good fight!
I'd be happy with about 15th. Some great posts here, I'm also having difficulty seeing the clear relegation candidates.
It may be obvious but too survive the PL I reckon we need to average 1.5 points per game at home and 0.8 points per game away. Given our home form this season if we can replicate that in any way in the PL we will more than survive. To get mid table we will have to get greater than 1.8 per game at home and greater than 1 point average away. I am not confident we can get greater than 1 point average away from home so I reckon we will be 14th-17th. IMHO
I would add Reading, Hull and Blackpool to that list despite the relegation of the latter two. All three played their own brand of attacking football and initially defied the predictions of relegation. Whilst Hull and Blackpool fell away, I would put this down to their respective managers panicking and not sticking to their guns. I don't see the unflappable Mr Adkins making the same mistake so expect us to over-achieve again next year.
I think that is a bit generous as 43-44 points would easily keep us up. Not saying we should not aim for that but a point a game is generally enough to keep a side in The Premiership. The last time a team got relegated with more than 40 points was an unfortunate West Ham side who had 42, particularly as 19th and 20th mustered only 26 and 19 points respectively. Over the last 10 years the average points total of the team finishing 18th is 36.7.
The gulf that used to exist between the Premier League and The Championship has shifted over recent years. The gulf still exists but has now been repositioned blow the top 7 or 8 in the premier League and the rest and I think the chances of promoted teams staying up is increasing year by year. I think you will be in a 'mini-league' with Norwich, Swansea, Wigan, West Brom, Reading QPR/Bolton and West Ham/Blackpool. That will be positions 13-20 as I see it, but in no particular order!
I'll be happy just to still be there come the end of May 2013. Survival is the main aim, we can start looking for mid-table the following year and who knows after that. I'll take somewhere around 16th
No idea where we'll finish.I really want to continue basking in the warm glow of the season just finished, but I'm already experiencing a heady cocktail of hope and fear just from reading this thread. There hasn't been a better time to be a Saints fan since Chris Nicholl departed, and I reckon we haven't reached the top of the curve just yet.
I'm confused - have you changed your log in name to create a guessing game? If so your surname must be Lemming and you're a bishop. You are Peter Lemming, of Shoreditch
Hello club buddy of ours - I like your breakdown and agree with almost all of it except if QPR stay up I think they'll be ok next year. (and yes I hope they don't also, I respect clubs more when they don't throw money around like that). I reply also to ask about your views on the Canaries next season, most people seem to think you'll struggle more, but I can see a similar year to this one. Your prediction of 11th would be a great finish for you guys, so how do you see your side improving and what transfers are you looking for?
Many moons ago I said Saints could become a yoyo club like West Brom. If the worst happpens next season and providing there is a clause in players contracts that reflects league status, and aided by the experience of Premiership football plus the parachute payments I foresee an immediate bounceback! Now I am going to hide behind a big wall when the brickbats start to fly in my direction.
