Gary Lineker needs glasses, he's just said we're 16 points clear of trouble! Maybe he's seeing into the future?
Jason Puncheon scored Southampton’s first goal, had more shots than any other player on the pitch (three) and also created three chances for teammates. Bacary Sagna made 15 clearances today, of which 11 were headed; only Jos Hooiveld made more (18)
I think we're safe now to be honest, after today's results. I know it can change quickly, but our form is improving with easier games approaching. And we're level with Newcastle, and nobody thinks they're going down
Not just yet, but I'm even more confident than before. We should be fine. Especially with the break and the return of our knobbleds!
Not safe yet, but we're within a couple results of being fairly safe. Ten points should do it, and there are twelve to play...get a point (or more) against Newcastle and beat QPR, and we'll be damned close to the finish line. We've also played the last 22 games dead-even on goal differential now. Not a half-bad recovery from being on zero points through the first month of games.
The way I see it is: how would I feel if I was a QPR/Villa/Wigan fan? If we go down then we've thrown it away, we're not in a position to be relegated.
We have played well for some time...if we were a lucky side as the Hammers' fan suggests we'd be out of sight. There was a reason that City played badly and why several other teams play badly, because they are trying to deal with us. The only proviso I would say is that we are also guilty of accusing other teams of being lucky as well...it's something you say when all you watch are highlights. MP makes us play at high tempo (Davis says this is very tiring) and it was that tempo that resulted in 2 of the goals. Puncheon scored his goal when there were 4 defenders as well as the GK around the ball. Davis was following in when Hart spilt the ball...these things are not down to just luck. Crazy own goal from Barry...the highlights show that a Saints player was coming at him at speed. If you start at a high temp0 you keep it up...if you start wrong, you struggle to pick it up. This style seems to suit us more than trying to hold a 0-0 till half-time.
So are we so confident of avoiding relegation that we want Villa to win or do we want the security of a Villa loss. Or are we going to sit on the fence and go for a draw?
My son reminded me yesterday of not being too down when we lose or too high when we win (copyright: Mr Nigel Adkins), but hard to do that today. I too am looking up.
I think it's the fact that the performance wasn't a one off that has convinced me. We deserved to beat Wigan and even possibly United.
Despite the result, I still find myself incensed that such a blatant penalty wasn't given! It could've had a massive impact on the game. In fairness the referee is directly behind them, so sees two players sliding about on a wet pitch & if the lino on the far side was level, potentially has other players & even the goal itself to block his view. They could do with some help- classic case where a video ref would've been ideal...
Man oh man What a result..? What is it with these reporters why is it every time Saints get a result....from one of the current big guns....or top 6 side? They report that we were gifted the game , or the opposition were off par and played poorly. Or that they kept squandering chances and should have killed us off. Oh yes Southampton played well at times, as if that was so unusual. Fair play to Alan Shearer, his colleagues were trying to down play the result and he insisted on more than one occasion......You cannot take anything away from Saints they were brilliant......"Oh....uuu...Oh yea yes they did play well". It was similar to when we lost to United. Most acknowledged that United were lucky.......and that they had an off Day!!!! It was big of Fergy to acknowledge they were very lucky and that Saints were the best side he has seen at old Trafford this season. Even he didn't say it was because they were having a bad day...... When I arrived at the Stadium I told my mates I had a feeling in my water that we were going to get a result......They laughed and said the best we could hope for was a draw. Oh how I pulled their leg at the final whistle....they are always so negative. My final point is on the Referee I have looked and looked at the foul on Rodders and looked at the Referee's position he has to have a solid view of it. How on earth is it not a foul? The linesman on the Itchen side was as blind as a bat. To my knowledge he only had about 4 decisions that his view was clearly called for by the refereee re the byline. He got all 4 clearly wrong, 3 against us 1 against City. I am sure these guys need either glasses or a kick up the ass........or maybe both!
