AT HOME TO CHELSEA

Is it possible to get back to back wins against Liverpool and Chelsea??

well would be great if we could get back to back wins but going to stick with my prediction of 4 points from the 2 games and think 1 - 1 against the annoying cockneys

Think we could lose by the odd goal, maybe 2-3. Hope we can get something....and that the other relagation possibles have a miserable weekend.

I'll be happy with a point, as long as everyone around us loses.

well second win on the bounce Will do match report later as about to have a beer suffice to say another great team display. Much tougher than the Liverpool game and we had to defend in second half plus Boruc went off injured at half time so quite nervous with Kelvin in goal though he made a great tip over the bar

Everyone worked their socks off, Rodrigues looking better every game.

We beat the current Europena champions, without Lallana and ramerez!!

Another top performance against a top side. Yes Rafa made some changes but still had a pretty strong side out there. Lallana was injured and Ramerez not started as only got back yesterday. Davis and Puncheon in to start and think Davis may have started anyhow but did mean our bench was weaker today and again no striker as Mayuka not included.

saints started brightly and nearly took the lead when Rickie nodded down and Rodrigues put in a shot but leaning back fired over. Rodrigues then beat terry and went on a run similar to liverpool goal, he was clearly thinking that as went for shot and was weak, he had Puncheon out wide which would have been the right ball. Rickie then found himself in the box but at a tight angle but had a shot blocked for a corner. Saints were not to be denied though and Rodrigues played a nice one two with Davis on left side and ended up in the box and hit a delightful finish into the far corner. Similar finish to that against chelsea in the cup. Thought Chelsea had equalised when Torres got the better of Hoovield and put past Boruc but we thought he had handled in the build up and ref had seen and gave a free kick, should have booked Torres as a deliberate hand ball to try and gain an advantage. Torres was lucky to stay on the park as went in for several arial challenges leading with his elbow and on one of them flattened Yoshida and was booked but saw a nasty side to his game today as well as constantly complaining.

Chelsea did equalise with a poor goal when from a corner terry was given a free header. Will watch on MOTD to see who should have been marking, Hoovield was marking Terry in second half. Still didnt have to wait long for saints to get back in front. Lmabert was fouled, cue lots of moaning from Chelsea but about 25 yards out on the left of centre Rickie curled over the wall and bending left beat Cech. Sainst showed their confidence and had several corners in first half but unable to make any of them count.

Second half had an unpleasant start when we came out with no goalie then Kelvin appeared! Didnt see Boruc get injured in first half and had looked pretty solid. No disrespect to kelvin but Boruc has looked the top goalie. saints looked bright seeking that 3rd goal which would give us the breathing space. As expected Chelsea started to have greater possession and there were a few scares without any shots until Moses had a shot which seemed to take a deflection and looked like looping into the net but kelvin managed to stretch back and tip over the bar.

Pucnheon got walloped by terry and was subbed a few minutes afterwards. Have to say ref had been okay until it looked like we might win and gave us nothing the foul on puncheon a good example with no free kcick, Terry also was beaten to ball but on on the ground laid on the ball and ref gives a drop ball, rickie should have just kicked him! Ward Prowse came on and had a great chance when a break down middle by Schneiderlin played him in but he tried to lay back instead of going for goal and ball was easily cleared. Rodrigues had a couple of strong runs at the Chelsea defence and was unlucky with the ball just not falling at the last minute. His surging runs are beginning to become a bit of a habit now, a bit like Micky Channon.

Chelsea took off Oscar and put on Benyoun which didnt go down well with the Chelsea fans who turned on Benetez Chelsea did have pressure in last 15 minutes but saints defended well and got plenty of blocks in, only time we looked in real trouble was when we let the runners from deep come straight down the middle. Schneiderlin conceded a poor free kick in same position where Rickie scored from in 1st half but Lampard curled high and wide, much to our relief. 4 minutes of extra time and while Chelsea had possession no more scares and yet another top side comes a cropper at St Marys.

Boruc 7 hope injury is not to bad as he adds a level of confidence at the back.
Cline 8 another storming game after Liverpool, playing his best of the season.
Hoovield 8 lots of arial duels and has worked hard to improve
Yoshida 8 puts in a lot of work and blocks
Shaw 6 thought he wasnt at best today. 1st hald Moses gave him bit of a battering, 2nd half better, thanks Rafa moving Moses to other side!
Davis 8 worked his socks off and good lay off for Rodrigues to score.
Cork 8 non stop effort clearly wanting to show his former employers they got it wrong releasing him, and they did, £750k what a bargain.
Schneiderlin 7 worked hard but gave a way a few free kicks picking up a yellow which based on number of fouls was right.
Puncheon 7 worked hard, more effective in first half
Rodrigues 8 scored good goal made a few other chances and laid ball of well, looking a good buy
Lambert 8 Dont know what Hodgeson doesnt see but held the ball well, intelligent lay offs playing others in and superb free kick

Subs

Davis 7 great tip over save looked reasonably solid though a couple of kicks were iffy.
Ward Prowse 7 worked hard to give some more cover, should have gone for goal when he had the chance
Fox 6 surprised when he came on but was better than Guly who came on last game same time.

enjoying my beer

Nice one Matty and well done to the lads.

Thanks Pete, desperation amongst some of the teams down the bottom Martin O'Niel been sacked by Sunderland, with 7 games left to go

Thanks again Matty, great effort from the team again.

I read somewhere that Boruc was withdrawn at half-time as complaining of feeling dizzy.....so hopefully should be fit for next week. On Sky they suggested it could have been a tactical change as Boruc's kicking out had been poor!!

It's a weird old league table, we are now in the lofty position of 12th, just 2 points from 10th and a place in the top half of the table......but if we look down we are still just 4 points above Wigan and Villa in 17th & 18th and they both have a game in hand. Every team from 10th downwards still needs to be collecting points and I have a feeling teams may need something like 42 points to survive.

Mike, I agree with you on that one. It's kinda strange to be currently 12th but still only 4 points clear of the drop.

Is all very close down there and good that we have dragged other sides into the battle, just what I was hoping for. I still see the three to go down as

Reading 30 points
QPR 35
Sunderland 37

Wigan 39
Newcastle 39
Villa 39
Stoke 41
Saints 43
Norwich 44
W Ham 46

So I think 13th for us and taking 9 points from last 7 games. Still a few games where teams play each other and think both North east sides, sunderland and Newcastle have some tough fixtures. Think 40 points will be safe, just, so lets win the next 2 games!

That said a few injuries at this stage can be critical for sides, Sunderland are going to struggle without Cattermole and Fletcher, with those pair would have had a much better chance. We just need Rickie and J rod to stay fit as we dont have any other strikers!

Villa go a goal up on Liverpool on 31 minutes....COME ON LIVERPOOL!!

YES YES YES!!! 2 second-half goals for Liverpool leave Villa still 4 points behind us, and no longer with a game in hand.

well done liverpool

Villa play away to Norwich, Stoke and Wigan (last game of the season) plus a home game against Sunderland, those games will define their season

Looks like sunderland are going for Di Cannio as their manager, on his way supposedly for talks, that is a big gamble.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/football-terry-wows-fans-comedy-headbutt-routine-080333246.html

Two fouls and a handball and no free kick given and no the ref didnt play advantage