OUR CHANCES AT WALSALL?

Can we get the 3 points? Will Adkin make changes?

Think Barnard and Schneiderlin will both start after Saturdays game, Guly apparently has an injury. Chaplow on the bench and will be interesting to see if Forte or Connolly are added to the bench. Neither there Saturday but no news on OS site if injured. I would be tempted to rest Chamberlain and use as a sub if need to but that might be to many changes.

IF we play like we did for the first and last 30 min on Saturday expect us to get the 3 points.

Despite dominating the game, we are losing 1-0.

At least I think we are. I don't know for sure since Radio Solent has had a major cock up and we are now being given Pompey commentary.

Totally frustrating and having to listen to the skates winning on Solent makes it even worse. Typical Solent (this happened a lot last season, too).

Full time, 1-0. Frustrating. *Bangs head on desk*

Solent are back for the last 30 seconds. Great stuff

FT 1-0.

I'm normally very patient with Saints but this is crap. Automatic promotion looking distant.

teamsaint wrote:FT 1-0.

I'm normally very patient with Saints but this is crap. Automatic promotion looking distant.

Got to agree there. I can't see us getting automatic promotion, we've thrown away too many stupid points and are too inconsistent, and the inconsistency makes me fear for our chances in the play offs. How can we dominate like we did yet still lose?

and failure to get promotion could mean bye bye Adkins?

SaintMike wrote:and failure to get promotion could mean bye bye Adkins?

As Cortese seems not to be the most patient type, then probably. Adkins knows how to get teams out of this crappy league but something's gone wrong. It's no good winning 6-0, 4-1 or 3-1 one match then drawing or losing the next. It's not promotion form. I'd rather grind out 1-0 or 2-1 wins every match than win flambuoyantly one game then drop points the next.
We'd also more than likely lose Lallana (depending on whether a promotion-dependent clause was written into his contract), Chamberlain, Fonte and Schneiderlin. However, that would mean we could get players in who know what's needed to play against attritional teams who 'park the bus' like Walsall and break them down which the current lot, apparently, don't know how to do. It speaks volumes that the likes of Brighton and Bournemouth, who haven't spent the vast sums on players that Saints have, are going strongly and looking good for auto promotion. They don't have flair players, they have average players but ones who work as a team and know how to break down other sides.

One thing, if Brighton and Bournemouth go up and we don't, we're going to be the lowest-placed team in the BBC South/Meridian region and it's going to be as painful as hell in that we're not going to hear the last of it from certain quarters.