REVIEWING THE SITUATION

no manager is perfect, apart from me that is, and while think NA can over complicate the game at times the pros far outweigh the cons. Dave merrington may have said a manager is only 6 games away from the sack but he has also said I believe successful teams dont chop and change managers.

What the next few weeks will really show is the commitment and influence of NC, lets not forget it is not his money that funds the club. Give NA the funding and I am sure he will improve the squad and be in contention at the end of the season. Remember we didnt spend a lot in the summer, the cheating skates spent more than us! If he isnt supported, and a Japanese striker who has never played in England wont be enough, then it would be a struggle for anyone as think we have over achieved with the current squad.

One point I would support is the reluctance to shoot from outside the box. we simply dont have a threat there and even if you shoot but dont score it makes defenders if to come inside and challenge which then gives space out on the flanks.

I quite like this one....

http://thegamesgonecrazy.blogspot.com/2012/01/leicester-back-in-reckoning-southampton.html

West Ham get hammered by Ipswich, great!
Birminghammers do some hammering of their own at Leeds, worrying!

If Birmingham beat Saints on Saturday they will be just 2 points behind us, and they have a game in hand. They appear to be in brilliant form at the moment and it looks almost impossible that Saints can win this one...........but they really really really do need a result! And to make matters worse, it is on Sky again.....

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/fb_news.php?storyid=15946

Any thoughts?

Well you cant beat the romance of the cup but financially the premiership is where clubs need to be, even if you turn into a yo/yo club the additional parachute payments provide some security. Plus I think that will also help secure the Acadamy as other premiership clubs try and sign up more youngsters.

Think now with the squad assembled no reason why cant sustain a run in both as will give some of the players not starting in league opportunity to get match time. Blood a cple of youngsters plus cple of reserves with rest of squad and see how it goes.

juts need to put a few consecutive wins together to get some space between top 2 and rest. Dont think West Ham are as agood as thought they would be with their squad, seem quite negative so think we can pull them back into the pack. The one good thing about our poor run, which hopefully ended yesterday was players have been through that now so know they have to battle if they want promotion.

1 Southampton 32 59
2 West Ham 30 57
3 Reading 31 54
4 Cardiff 32 53
5 Blackpool 31 52
6 Birmingham 30 51
7 Hull 30 50
8 Middlesbrough 30 50

West Ham at Blackpool on Tuesday, what would be the best result for Saints? A Blackpool win or a draw means Saints keep top spot.......but a Blackpool win means they would move to 4 points behind Saints. Maybe a draw would suit us best?

Mike

think a draw would be best result for us, keeps WH in sight and means Blackpool would still be 6 points behind. Very close league hence a few consecutive wins for any club will make a big difference.

Not a good night for Saints, with West Ham, Birmingham and Middlesbrough all recording convincing away wins. Blackpool must feel gutted, losing 1-4 at home to West Ham despite Robert Green being red-carded with more than half an hour to play and Hammers having no recognised keeper on the bench.

1 West Ham 31 19 60
2 Southampton 32 26 59
3 Birmingham 31 22 54
4 Reading 31 12 54
5 Cardiff 32 11 53
6 Middlesbrough 31 6 53
7 Blackpool 32 11 52
8 Hull 30 6 50
9 Brighton 31 3 49
10 Leeds United 32 4 48
11 Burnley 32 7 47

Hull 0 Brighton 0

1 West Ham 31 19 60
2 Southampton 32 26 59
3 Birmingham 31 22 54
4 Reading 31 12 54
5 Cardiff 32 11 53
6 Middlesbrough 31 6 53
7 Blackpool 32 11 52
8 Hull 31 6 51
9 Brighton 32 3 50
10 Leeds United 32 4 48
11 Burnley 32 7 47

Our grateful thanks to West Ham and Birmingham....


1 Southampton 33 29 62
2 West Ham 32 19 61
3 Reading 32 14 57
4 Blackpool 33 13 55
5 Birmingham 32 21 54
6 Cardiff 32 11 53
7 Brighton 33 6 53
8 Middlesbrough 32 4 53
9 Hull 31 6 51
10 Leeds United 33 4 49
11 Burnley 33 5 47

Wonder how important our goal difference could be at end of the season

My forecast is if we can stay fit with the odd on ematch suspension we will end up on 86 points, but will that be enough.

Blackpool 1 Hull 1
Not complaining about that one.

1 Southampton 33 29 62
2 West Ham 32 19 61
3 Reading 32 14 57
4 Blackpool 34 13 56
5 Birmingham 32 21 54
6 Cardiff 32 11 53
7 Brighton 33 6 53
8 Middlesbrough 32 4 53
9 Hull 32 6 52
10 Leeds United 33 4 49
11 Burnley 33 5 47

Points Gap with West Ham
Feb 19 2
Feb 22 -1
Feb 26 1
Mar 3 4

Points Gap with Reading
Feb 19 5
Feb 26 5
Mar 3 5

Points Gap with Birmingham
Feb 19 8
Feb 22 5
Feb 26 8
Mar 3 10

Points Gap with Blackpool
Feb 19 7
Feb 22 7
Feb 26 7
Mar 2 6
Mar 3 9

Points Gap with Cardiff
Feb 19 6
Feb 26 9
Mar 3 12

Points Gap with Brighton
Feb 19 10
Feb 23 9
Feb 26 9
Mar 3 11

Points Gap with Middlesbrough
Feb 19 9
Feb 22 6
Feb 26 9
Mar 3 9

Points Gap with Hull
Feb 19 9
Feb 23 8
Feb 26 11
Mar 2 10
Mar 3 13

Wins for Reading and Middlesbrough. Draws for Birmingham, Blackpool, Brighton and Hull.

1 Southampton 34 30 65
2 West Ham 32 19 61
3 Reading 33 15 60
4 Blackpool 34 13 56
5 Middlesbrough 33 6 56
6 Birmingham 33 21 55
7 Brighton 34 6 54
8 Cardiff 32 11 53
9 Hull 32 6 52
10 Leeds United 34 3 49
11 Leicester 33 8 48
12 Burnley 34 4 47
13 Crystal Palace 33 4 47

After winning the last two away games, the season's away results do not now seem so bad. Five defeats in seventeen games.

Cardiff 0 West Ham 2

1 Southampton 34 30 65
2 West Ham 33 21 64
3 Reading 33 15 60
4 Blackpool 34 13 56
5 Middlesbrough 33 6 56
6 Birmingham 33 21 55
7 Brighton 34 6 54
8 Cardiff 33 9 53
9 Hull 32 6 52
10 Leeds United 34 3 49
11 Leicester 33 8 48
12 Burnley 34 4 47
13 Crystal Palace 33 4 47

Points Gap with West Ham
Feb 19 2
Feb 22 -1
Feb 26 1
Mar 3 4
Mar 4 1

Points Gap with Reading
Feb 19 5
Feb 26 5
Mar 3 5

Points Gap with Birmingham
Feb 19 8
Feb 22 5
Feb 26 8
Mar 3 10

Points Gap with Blackpool
Feb 19 7
Feb 22 7
Feb 26 7
Mar 2 6
Mar 3 9

Points Gap with Cardiff
Feb 19 6
Feb 26 9
Mar 3 12

Points Gap with Brighton
Feb 19 10
Feb 23 9
Feb 26 9
Mar 3 11

Points Gap with Middlesbrough
Feb 19 9
Feb 22 6
Feb 26 9
Mar 3 9

Points Gap with Hull
Feb 19 9
Feb 23 8
Feb 26 11
Mar 2 10
Mar 3 13

This week sees Saints, West Ham and Reading all with two home fixtures and none of the six opposing teams are in the top ten in the League. Although I am sure it won't work out, it ought to be a case of all three top clubs picking up six points...which could mean that the chase for automatic promotion will effectively turn into a three horse race.

Not a good night....

1 Southampton 35 30 66
2 West Ham 33 21 64
3 Reading 34 16 63
4 Middlesbrough 34 8 59
5 Blackpool 35 12 56
6 Birmingham 33 21 55
7 Brighton 34 6 54
8 Cardiff 33 9 53
9 Hull 33 6 53
10 Leeds United 35 3 50
11 Leicester 34 7 48
12 Crystal Palace 34 4 48
13 Burnley 34 4 47