THE SCRAP......

I think we can take it that with a 14 point gap (and only 5 games to play), Saints are not going to be overtaken by QPR or Reading. It is the third relegation place that is still very much up for grabs with maybe 8 teams still a little nervous.

11 Southampton 33 -7 38
12 West Ham 32 -9 38
13 Newcastle 33 -17 36
14 Norwich 33 -21 35
15 Sunderland 33 -8 34
16 Stoke 33 -13 34
17 Aston Villa 33 -24 34
18 Wigan 31 -20 31


Outstanding fixtures....

SAINTS
Home: West Brom, Stoke
Away: Swansea, Tottenham, Sunderland

WEST HAM
Home: Man United, Wigan, Newcastle, Reading
Away: Man City, Everton

NEWCASTLE
Home: Liverpool, Arsenal
Away: West Brom, West Ham, QPR

NORWICH
Home: Reading, Aston Villa, West Brom
Away: Stoke, Man City

SUNDERLAND
Home: Everton, Stoke, Southampton
Away: Aston Villa, Tottenham

STOKE
Home: Norwich, Tottenham
Away: QPR, Sunderland, Southampton

ASTON VILLA
Home: Sunderland, Chelsea
Away: Man United, Norwich, Wigan

WIGAN
Home: Tottenham, Swansea, Aston Villa
Away: Man City, West Ham, West Brom, Arsenal

We could do with the 2 Manchester clubs winning on Wednesday

It looks as if the bookies think we'll survive. Latest odds on relegation from Paddy Power:

READING 1/200
QPR 1/80
WIGAN 6/4
VILLA 11/4
STOKE 4/1
SUNDERLAND 4/1
NORWICH 9/1
NEWCASTLE 20/1
WEST HAM 66/1
SAINTS 80/1

Man City 1 Wigan 0
West Ham 2 Man United 2

Could have been much worse for us as Wigan held out for 83 minutes.....and West Ham led twice before United scored their 2nd on 77 minutes.

11 West Ham 33 -9 39
12 Saints 33 -7 38
13 Newcastle 33 -17 36
14 Norwich 33 -21 35
15 Sunderland 33 -8 34
16 Stoke 33 -13 34
17 Aston Villa 33 -24 34
18 Wigan 32 -21 31


Outstanding fixtures....

SAINTS
Home: West Brom, Stoke
Away: Swansea, Tottenham, Sunderland

WEST HAM
Home: Wigan, Newcastle, Reading
Away: Man City, Everton

NEWCASTLE
Home: Liverpool, Arsenal
Away: West Brom, West Ham, QPR

NORWICH
Home: Reading, Aston Villa, West Brom
Away: Stoke, Man City

SUNDERLAND
Home: Everton, Stoke, Southampton
Away: Aston Villa, Tottenham

STOKE
Home: Norwich, Tottenham
Away: QPR, Sunderland, Southampton

ASTON VILLA
Home: Sunderland, Chelsea
Away: Man United, Norwich, Wigan

WIGAN
Home: Tottenham, Swansea, Aston Villa
Away: West Ham, West Brom, Arsenal

I have been feeling pretty confident but this got me worried again.

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/fb_news.php?storyid=31869

Well I think we will need to get to 41 points to be safe so the sooner we get there the better. I think every team below us is capable of winning 2 games from their last 5 games which will mean most teams can reach 40. Wigan would be short but have 6 games so question is can they win 3? I think they can as have been there before and know how to battle or at least can get couple of wins and couple of draws taking them to 40.

hopefully one of the team below us will have a disastrous run which will mean we can breathe easier but away to Swansea will not be easy so will mean beating WBA will become important. That said 2 drawers will get us to 40 points and our goal difference could be worth a point.

With a bit of luck Nigel will do us a favour and beat Norwich on Saturday and that will put more pressure on them.

NORWICH 2 READING 1
QPR 0 STOKE 2
SUNDERLAND 1 EVERTON 0
WEST BROM 1 NEWCASTLE 1
WEST HAM 2 WIGAN 0


12 Saints 34 -7 39
13 Norwich 34 -20 38
14 Sunderland 34 -7 37
15 Stoke 34 -11 37
16 Newcastle 34 -17 37
17 Aston Villa 33 -24 34
18 Wigan 33 -23 31

Outstanding fixtures....

SAINTS
Home: West Brom, Stoke
Away: Tottenham, Sunderland

WEST HAM
Home: Newcastle, Reading
Away: Man City, Everton

NEWCASTLE
Home: Liverpool, Arsenal
Away: West Ham, QPR

NORWICH
Home: Aston Villa, West Brom
Away: Stoke, Man City

SUNDERLAND
Home: Stoke, Southampton
Away: Aston Villa, Tottenham

STOKE
Home: Norwich, Tottenham
Away: Sunderland, Southampton

ASTON VILLA
Home: Sunderland, Chelsea
Away: Man United, Norwich, Wigan

WIGAN
Home: Tottenham, Swansea, Aston Villa
Away: West Brom, Arsenal

Tottenham could have a big influence, play us and Sunderland at their place and Wigan and Villa away.

More I look at the games more I am convinced will need at least 40 points possibly 41 points. Hopefully Man U will win the title tonight by beating Villa

MAN UNITED 3 VILLA 0

12 Saints 34 -7 39
13 Norwich 34 -20 38
14 Sunderland 34 -7 37
15 Stoke 34 -11 37
16 Newcastle 34 -17 37
17 Aston Villa 34 -27 34
18 Wigan 33 -23 31

Outstanding fixtures....

SAINTS
Home: West Brom, Stoke
Away: Tottenham, Sunderland

WEST HAM
Home: Newcastle, Reading
Away: Man City, Everton

NEWCASTLE
Home: Liverpool, Arsenal
Away: West Ham, QPR

NORWICH
Home: Aston Villa, West Brom
Away: Stoke, Man City

SUNDERLAND
Home: Stoke, Southampton
Away: Aston Villa, Tottenham

STOKE
Home: Norwich, Tottenham
Away: Sunderland, Southampton

ASTON VILLA
Home: Sunderland, Chelsea
Away: Norwich, Wigan

WIGAN
Home: Tottenham, Swansea, Aston Villa
Away: West Brom, Arsenal

I think we need to beat WBA and we're home and dry, especially if Wigan lose at home to Spurs. Villa losing to Sunderland or a draw there, wouldn't be a bad result either. At least we don't need to worry about QPR and Reading, they're gone; they play each other on Sunday and I'm hoping Reading win and put 'Arry bottom.

At least Newcastle got hammered by Liverpool 6 nil at home that will have hit their confidence and with away games at W Ham and QPR plus home game against Arsenal could they struggle. Hopefully QPR will be down and relaxed so will play some decent football and maybe Newcastle may only pick up a couple of points to end of season.

Wigan I think may pick up 6 points but that will not be enough, wins against Swansea and Villa and hoping for defeats against Arsenal and West Brom away

Villa v Sunderland tonight and think I want a Sunderland win. Finishing above bottom 3 is what it is all about not if we finish 11th or 12th the players need to focus on the job in hand. As such just looking for Villa and Wigan to lose all their games, obviously barring their last game when they play each other, to make less nervy for us.

Unfortunately think Villa will win.

Funnily enough despite fact we can still go down not one online bookie is even giving odds on saints, more confident than me yet are including Stoke at 50 to 1 yet have won their last 2 games

NEWCASTLE 0 LIVERPOOL 6
SAINTS 0 WEST BROM 3
STOKE 1 NORWICH 0
WIGAN 2 TOTTENHAM 2
VILLA 6 SUNDERLAND 1


12 Stoke 35 -10 40
13 Southampton 35 -10 39
14 Norwich 35 -21 38
15 Sunderland 35 -12 37
16 Aston Villa 35 -22 37
17 Newcastle 35 -23 37
18 Wigan 34 -23 32

Outstanding fixtures....

SAINTS
Home: Stoke
Away: Tottenham, Sunderland

WEST HAM
Home: Newcastle, Reading
Away: Everton

NEWCASTLE
Home: Arsenal
Away: West Ham, QPR

NORWICH
Home: Aston Villa, West Brom
Away: Man City

SUNDERLAND
Home: Stoke, Southampton
Away: Tottenham

STOKE
Home: Tottenham
Away: Sunderland, Southampton

ASTON VILLA
Home: Chelsea
Away: Norwich, Wigan

WIGAN
Home: Swansea, Aston Villa
Away: West Brom, Arsenal

In their reverse fixtures home to Spurs and Sunderland, and away to Stoke, Saints only managed just 1 point and I can imagine we could end up with just a point again from these last 3 games...... and I'm doubtful whether that would be enough.

Playing the guessing game I have looked at how the teams would finish if they all got the same results as they did in the reverse fixtures earlier in the season........

SAINTS
Home: Stoke D
Away: Tottenham L, Sunderland L

NEWCASTLE
Home: Arsenal L
Away: West Ham L, QPR W

NORWICH
Home: Aston Villa D, West Brom L
Away: Man City L

SUNDERLAND
Home: Stoke D, Southampton W
Away: Tottenham L

STOKE
Home: Tottenham D
Away: Sunderland D, Southampton D

ASTON VILLA
Home: Chelsea L
Away: Norwich D, Wigan L

WIGAN
Home: Swansea L, Aston Villa W
Away: West Brom L, Arsenal L


Which gives a final points tally....

12. STOKE 43
13. SUNDERLAND 41
14. NEWCASTLE 40
15. SAINTS 40
16. NORWICH 39
17. ASTON VILLA 38
18. WIGAN 35

like you Mike not overly optimistic about last 3 games but hopefully both Newcastle and Sunderland have had their confidence knocked conceding 6 each.

I think Wigan will beat Swansea which will give them 38 points and am hoping Newcastle only get a draw at QPR which will leave them on 38 points as well.

Most important result on Saturday will be Wigan's, another defeat and I will breathe a little easier as could not afford another defeat.

NORWICH 1 VILLA 2
TOTTENHAM 1 SAINTS 0
WEST BROM 2 WIGAN 3
WEST HAM 0 NEWCASTLE 0

11 Stoke 35 -10 40
12 Fulham 36 -11 40
13 Aston Villa 36 -21 40
14 Southampton 36 -11 39
15 Norwich 36 -22 38
16 Newcastle 36 -23 38
17 Sunderland 35 -12 37
18 Wigan 35 -22 35

Outstanding fixtures....

SAINTS
Home: Stoke
Away: Sunderland

FULHAM
Home: Liverpool
Away: Swansea

NEWCASTLE
Home: Arsenal
Away: QPR

NORWICH
Home: West Brom
Away: Man City

SUNDERLAND
Home: Stoke, Southampton
Away: Tottenham

STOKE
Home: Tottenham
Away: Sunderland, Southampton

ASTON VILLA
Home: Chelsea
Away: Wigan

WIGAN
Home: Swansea, Aston Villa
Away: Arsenal

Interesting thought that if Newcastle should end up being relegated it would mean that the 3 clubs to go down are all managed by former Saints managers, is that some sort of record??

Although they are going through a brilliant spell, I don't think Villa are out of danger yet, I think they will find it difficult to get any more points, and they are just 1 point above us and have a much worse goal difference.

This is how I see the possible outcome at the moment....although I tend to change my mind every 5 minutes.....

SAINTS
Home: Stoke W
Away: Sunderland L

FULHAM
Home: Liverpool D
Away: Swansea D

NEWCASTLE
Home: Arsenal D
Away: QPR W

NORWICH
Home: West Brom W
Away: Man City L

SUNDERLAND
Home: Stoke W, Southampton W
Away: Tottenham L

STOKE
Home: Tottenham D
Away: Sunderland L, Southampton L

ASTON VILLA
Home: Chelsea L
Away: Wigan L

WIGAN
Home: Swansea W, Aston Villa W
Away: Arsenal L


11 Sunderland 43
12 Fulham 42
13 Southampton 42
14 Newcastle 42
15 Stoke 41
16 Wigan 41
17 Norwich 41
18 Aston Villa 40

wish we hadn't been dragged into this but suspect Fulham fans are saying exactly the same, they could easily lose their last 2 games and finish on 40, hoping we will get at leats 2 points but really want a win up at sunderland, they don't have Sessenyong and will be interesting to see how they play against Stoke tonight.

think Villa are safe as take them to beat Wigan in a head to head but still means we must get at least a point. Plus we have Norwich struggling and if they do not beat WBA Saturday will be in trouble. Beginning to hate WBA, looked great against us both games then let Wigan win and sure they will get turned over by Norwich.

SUNDERLAND 1 STOKE 1
Apparently a great fight back by Sunderland in the second half after going behind to an early goal. Gardner was red-carded so wont be available against Saints.

11 Stoke 36 -10 41
12 Fulham 36 -11 40
13 Aston Villa 36 -21 40
14 Southampton 36 -11 39
15 Sunderland 36 -12 38
16 Norwich 36 -22 38
17 Newcastle 36 -23 38
18 Wigan 35 -22 35

Outstanding fixtures....

SAINTS
Home: Stoke
Away: Sunderland

FULHAM
Home: Liverpool
Away: Swansea

NEWCASTLE
Home: Arsenal
Away: QPR

NORWICH
Home: West Brom
Away: Man City

SUNDERLAND
Home: Southampton
Away: Tottenham

STOKE
Home: Tottenham
Away: Southampton

ASTON VILLA
Home: Chelsea
Away: Wigan

WIGAN
Home: Swansea, Aston Villa
Away: Arsenal

WIGAN 2 SWANSEA 3
Great result for Saints as Swansea twice come from behind to get the 3 points. Means Saints are now practically home and dry......I may change my view on that if Saints lose at Sunderland, and Wigan win at Arsenal.

11 Stoke 36 -10 41
12 Fulham 36 -11 40
13 Aston Villa 36 -21 40
14 Southampton 36 -11 39
15 Sunderland 36 -12 38
16 Norwich 36 -22 38
17 Newcastle 36 -23 38
18 Wigan 36 -23 35

Outstanding fixtures....

SAINTS
Home: Stoke
Away: Sunderland

FULHAM
Home: Liverpool
Away: Swansea

NEWCASTLE
Home: Arsenal
Away: QPR

NORWICH
Home: West Brom
Away: Man City

SUNDERLAND
Home: Southampton
Away: Tottenham

STOKE
Home: Tottenham
Away: Southampton

ASTON VILLA
Home: Chelsea
Away: Wigan

WIGAN
Home: Aston Villa
Away: Arsenal


Now can we pass Stoke, Fulham and Villa?? 11th would feel good....