The point about squads is key I think our first team is the best in the league, not on paper but taking into account the spirit ect. The winter months are where the injuries and suspension pile up and how these affect are form will be crucial. With some wise investmint in january and a bit of luck theres no reason why we cant go up automatically but whatever happens it will have been (probably) a very good season.
All the strikers we were supposed to have signed have scored against us in recent weeks. We weren't linked with Kevin Phillips in the summer, were we?!
If you think recklessly spending on more players than you need is what you want eos, look at what Leicester have done and have a think about that. You say we need 5 new players in January, I'd be interested to see you go through all of those. I hate expectations. We take each game at a time, draw a blue line under it and move on to the next one. We go into each game hoping to win it so that has to be the expectation that we're not going to settle for mediocrity like Saints usually have in the past. We have January to do what we need to, so why not aspire?
1) James Henry - Great on the right hand side with lots of potential 2) Zaha - looked amazing against Utd 3) Clyne - Cover for frazer and future succeeder 4) Maynard - Good enough now 5) one centre back
NA has said if we don't gain promotion this season we try again the next. If not next year then the year after etc... The job he has done is perfect! Of course expectations have sky rocketed. But if someone said in August Saints would be in the top 2 come mid December then you would have laughed at them! We are over achieving massively and given our good form overall I am sure NA and NC would be willing to make an addition in January to push us for the final assault As NA said, you will have off-days and today was one of them. One thing is certain, we will come back stronger! COYR!
1) Fair enough, probably wouldn't cost too much 2) No way would we be able to afford/attract him, he's wanted by BARCELONA 3) Clyne is a quality player but do we really need a new RB atm 4) Bristol City said they will not sell him no matter what in Jan. They'd rather use his goals and let him go for free in the summer. Not as easy as it seems, is player hunting.
knee jerk reaction, if we win our next 3 games fans will be saying that we will win the league, thats the fickle nature of football
Indeed, so let's get the Blue Biro/Marker out. Draw the line wherever you damn well please, and onto the next match..!
42 points from 20 games isn't a "great start", it's a great first half of the season. If we can be top after 20 games, we can be top after 46. Expectations aren't too high, they're where they should be. We should be rightfully disappointed if we don't finish in the top 2.
We haven't overachieved. West Ham have perhaps underachieved so far and will probably go on to win the league, but I believe we are second best after them. Lambert, Lallana and Cork would get into any team in this league. Show me a team other than West Ham whose best XI simply has more quality than ours. As for depth, we have impact players like De Ridder and Barnard, we have four excellent central midfielders and quality youngsters patiently waiting to get a chance. We also have the option to add to the squad in a month's time. We're fine.
Have a look at the bench today and tell me we have better quality in depth than teams like Cardiff and Leeds.
