Are we on course to be a top-half side again?

Because this is the league table since early November.

Indicative of a long-term trend of us being one. Let's hope the momentum can carry into next season and we can build this summer...

PS: Wow, Bournemouth have been BAD quite some time now

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I think this is a clear sign that the season shouldn’t start until November.

 

Hadn't realised that.....thanks for that info DTLW When you look at those stats apart from early season we have been right up there. Pity about our home form though. But if yesterday is how the future looks roll on next season.....!!

 

Yes.

 

In the full league table, we are only 2 points behind Spurs (who have a game in hand v Everton) which is remarkable bearing in mind our bad start. Yeah, yeah...Tottenham are crud at the moment...stop raining on my parade.

 

CB & CM and we'll be challenging the top 8 again. Easier said than done though to get players espescially as we will need to get rid of some first.

 

I'd also like to see us sign someone who can unlock the door. Whether that be a crafty, technical type player, or a quick footed winger.

If all 19 sides would come to SMS and play like City, Villa, Norwich, and Spurs, then great. We could implement our style of play for all 38 games. But the vast majority of teams are wise enough to know (or already set up in such a way) that if they sit deep, we don't currently have the ability to break them down. Whilst at some point also slipping up at the other end.

Basically, yesterday shouldn't mask our horrendous difficulties at home.

 

Yeah, we don't have a Tadic in this group. A crafty little technical player with good ball control and a desire to break the lines with cute passes.

 

Boufal could be that man if.......

 

Crikey, I'd forgotten about him already! What's his situation now?

 

Out of contract next summer, I expect he'll be off this summer so we can get a fee for him.

 

That is wishful thinking as clubs outside the top 3 in La Liga do not have any money!!! Not many clubs anywhere are going to pay 10 million to take him off our hands.

 

Play Man City at home 19 times next season and we're sorted...

 

Had a charidee bet with OldSaintsBoy for Saints to finish in the top ten at the start of the season but I think he's one of the many posters that have gone AWOL recently.

 

Ralph out.

 

If results go our way we could be in the top ten by 8pm on Thursday.

 

Yeah ideally the CM would have that as part of his game too though those players aren't exactly easy to find for clubs like us.

I do think the two positions I mentioned would improve the home form too though, by virtue of reducing the amount of silly goals we concede. But yeah you're right that we're crying out for that sort of player.

 

Moussa djenepo is back and ready to fill the creative role

 

Interesting thread. I think the components are there to be a top 10 side. Good manager youngsters coming through and a team that clearly is together and playing as a team. We need to improve at home of course. Counter attack simply doesnt work against the lower teams at home and the better we get the more teams will defend first against us. We need good creativity in centre midfield for that and our current centre mids are not able to find those baĺls to unlock 2 banks of 4 defending. In most other aspects of play our central midfielders are proficient

 

The thing I will take from this season is that Ralph lost his way a bit after his assistant left and used the first couple of months to experiment. Once he found his preferred team and system the results improved and there is no reason why they can't continue to.
I still think that a dominant defensive leader/organiser would make the biggest difference to the team as we still let in too many but a creative goalscorer would be welcome as well as KWP/A.N.Other and a replacement for Pierre.
I also think that Ralph committing long term to the cause is huge and boosts team spirit tremendously, the spirit is the side compared to what it was in October is completely different.