Have seen a few posters on here talking about teams catching up on us and how we seem to struggle in the big games, so decided I'd look into our record vs the other current Top 10 sides. This Season: (Green showing at least half points gained / Orange showing under half points gained, but potential to get over half / Red showing failure to gain at least half the points) Saints vs.... ...West Ham United - 3/3 ...Cardiff City - 1/6 ...Blackpool - 1/3 ...Birmingham - 4/6 ...Middlesbrough - 3/3 ...Hull City - 3/3 ...Reading - 1/3 ...Leeds United - 3/3 ...Brighton - 3/6 As the above shows, we have only accrued less than half the available points over 2 games against one challenger around us, Cardiff City. All the others we have gained at least half of the available points, except against Reading and Blackpool, who we could still get over half the points available to us, as we have to play them both again. So it works out at: 22 points out of the available 36, which works out that we are taking 61% of the points available against those around us, with potential for that to change. So although we are doing reasonably well against those around us, it is perhaps disappointing to only take 1 point against Cardiff this season. I see no reason why we can't beat both Leeds and Hull, and potentially Boro and Blackpool, even if these are all away games! I hope you followed that! DTLW
Glad you managed it! Just made some alterations and added some colours to perhaps make it a bit easier to follow! Cheers.
Well researched. I made points on other threads that we have not beaten any of the the top ten away from home and that I felt we needed too to get auto promotion. I still believe this be true because our form has massively dipped and we played all the top teams at home when we were on great form. Other teams have caught up now and we have some tough away games until the end if the season. We could just go and draw them all, but that would require us to win most of our home games which I don't think will happen. I'm making a considered point based on something I would like too happen, that's not negative.
I agree. Something that does stand out is that we have faced these teams at home. We should be aiming for at least 4 points against those who we have beaten at home, but we need to make sure to beat Blackpool at Bloomfield Road and Reading at St. Mary''s. Our run-in doesn't look too bad but does feature a lot of the top ten at home! All we can do is wait and see, I feel we are starting to rediscover our form now.
I hope so chap, I have seen signs of us picking up recently but that needs to equate to few more wins and who better to beat than a rival!
The fact is we should have beaten Bristol City AND Doncaster. If we want promotion then they're games we have to win. All our remaining home games are winnable and would be very disappointed if we don't win the majority!
Luckily Adkins takes one game at a time and we go out to win every match. Adkins won't be looking too far ahead like we will. We also don't have the mentality to go out and draw. Losses against the lower sides are disappointing, but it happens and will happen to others around us. We're approaching squeaky bum time, and I'd 'love it' if we beat West Ham!
We haven't been winning many games, but we've haven't had many games recently that any reasonable person could describe as poor. We've added 2 strikers and a renovated midfielder (Puncheon), We have taken a point off 2 rivals (which can also be seen as removing 2 points from them), so I'm sure we are coming out of our extended blip.
Against Birmingham, when the substitutions were made, Saints ended up with Lambert, Sharp and Guly on, not excluding Lallana, of course. Then Saints went down to 10 men, and rearranged themselves effectively. But I do remember thinking, with 20 minutes to go, that when Adkins goes into every single game, planning to win it, he certainly isn't kidding.
Also Adkins made a diamond shape with his hands (quite early in the match) and we started to play better almost immediately. The pundits referred to our formation change when they were praising Adkins. Also, did you notice when Beagrie was asked if Birmingham had a major chance of promotion, he equivocated and said,'A good chance, not a major chance.' Think Beagrie fancied us more.
It's what makes us the top scorers in the league. We go for it! I'd like us to do a Norwich this season ( tho I hate that phrase ) but were much more like a Swansea.
I think the one thing you can be sure of in this league is that everyone's form is going to continue to fluctuate until the end of the season. The one thing you can hopefully be fairly sure of is that Southampton's form is going to improve steadily from now until the end of the season. We will do a Southampton this season of that you can be 100% certain.
I think our form has been effected by the weather (slightly! is always nicer to passing football in nice weather ) & injuries. Last season we had a really strong finish to the season & I can see that happening to us this year!
Man Utd of the lower leagues that's us. Play better in the second half of games and the season so get your oars out
