Very quiet week this week with no real football of note before the internationals on Friday/Saturday. I've been cheering myself up by looking back over last couple of seasons and realised that exactly two years ago today we played a home game against Tranmere and were hotly anticipating our next away game at Notts County! I think in all the excitement of being back in the PL we forget how far we have come in what is only 731 days! It's not surprising really that the management team and the players are struggling a bit to come to terms with life at the top. Mistakes that went almost un-noticed as we rapidly climbed the league now get punished and cost us points and wins. We need to stick together and back the team to get things right on the pitch. We have an inspirational manager who has shown throughout his career that he is a winner, a quick learner and is not afraid to make tough decisions. We have a Chairman with vision and wonderful plans for this our club. I don't know what the next 730 days will bring but as Saints fans we all know it won't be dull. I wouldn't swap it for anything! COYR!
You don't allow a little thing like no news stop you from posting a thread, do you, Lambie? I wish you worked for Saints...then we might get a bit of info. Don't want their innermost secrets, but a little info on Ramirez and Clyne for example wouldn't bring down the country. Apart from the Wembley trip, I didn't enjoy the first season in League 1 as it was horrible to be there and that -10 made life a bit frightening at first. Second season was better as we did well and a couple of other teams made it a real competition. We also had the fun of meeting Nigel...he was more fun before he got his PL hat on Championship was great being in top 2 all season, though we should really have taken the title. Sometimes it's easier to come from behind (stop sniggering at the back) than to hold on to the number one spot. Think we have suffered this year because we came up with a number of players from League 1. We were an attacking side with less emphasis on defence. Our defence only appeared to be good enough because of the opposition. We are unbalanced because of trying to stick to the idea of young players and spending a large sum on one player (delighted though I am with Ramirez). We are still 2-3 players short of a good side, though I still feel that our attacking quality will get us enough points as not every team is top 6 quality. See, I don't let no news get in my way only.
I think your point about top 6 is spot on. We can't compete at that level but no reason whatsover why we should'nt be a top 12 side if not this season the next.
Saints fans expectations being set too high too early again, in my opinion Lamballana. This season I will be delighted with survival, even if it is last day and 17th place.
You may be right FLT. I'm always on the over optimistic side but I do think when we are at full strength we will have too much for a lot of teams in the PL.
Hope it's not the last day...great joy if you do it, but I would prefer a boring end to the season. We have some very talented players and a good manager on a learning curve...I think we'll win those important 6 pointers.
Yes we have shown over the last couple of seasons that we can bounce back from a bad result and can cope well with pressure. That will be vital!
Just look at those last six games. If we're 18th at the start of April, I'd back us. But I'm still confident we can climb a little further up the table.
I still think we'll surprise a few teams - and a few will surprise us. Banking on 17th this year then onwards and upwards next year
The old Saint in me would be happy with 17th on the last day, but those days are (hopefully) gone, I would like to think we can finish 15th this season.
Nice post, but I was chatting to my Tranmere Rovers supporting hairdresser today (first ten minutes he pops on his specs to play find the hair) and felt quite nostalgic for Division 1; the Tuesday/Saturday match days; JPT; no international breaks; proper fans wherever you play. Not that I miss playing at Tranmere - 3 visits and 3 defeats. I know we'll be OK. As I have said before, it so reminds me of 66/67 when our firepower (Paine, Sydenham, Davies) kept us up. We will always score, and eventually someone will let us win! In his purchases and team selections, Adkins is either brave or foolhardy .. we'll soon be finding out which. But I'll back us, and yes it has been an astonishing few years. UTS
Bang on! Although I didn't mind the Tranmere games, as the 1st 4 football matches I ever went to were at Prenton Park, so i'm kind of fond of the place and glad to see them ripping league 1 apart so far this year! I could understand peoples disappointment if Saints were miles off the pace, but the team is on the brink of a decent run of results if we can just tidy up a little. We look dangerous going forwards and are playing entertaining football. At least we are not Reading, their forum is on suicide watch.
