Upgraded Saints alive with potential … but now to handle the crunch

http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2014/11/21/upgraded-saints-alive-with-potential-but-now-to-handle-the-crunch-211101/

Have only skim read through this but looks like a good piece. Apologies if its just a rehash of existing info though.

Hopefully we'll get more than 2 points this year! Might be known information, but well presented.

As is so often the case, a major point is missed in these articles. The crunch last season coincided with a string of injuries and suspension, starting with Boruc breaking his finger. The issue is going to be whether we have a similar problem to overcome this season which would once again stretch our paper-thin squad. we actually have a smaller squad than last season (after shipping out 18 players over the summer), though it can be and is argued that what we do have is more strength in depth. But can we cope when we have potential injuries to Davis, Morgan and possibly Tadic (and maybe even Pelle, who knows why he did not participate in Italy's friendly with Albania) on top of the long term injuries to JRod and JWP. It will be interesting to see.

I also had to laugh when the article suggested that we brought Long in to replace Billy Sharp. Surely either Long or Mane were brought in to replace Guly and/or Gaston. I see that Forster is also heralded for only conceding 5 goals, whereas Boruc had also only conceded 5 at the same stage last season if my memory serves me right. Yet no mention of this perhaps being largely down to the excellent form of Morgan and Vic (strangely omitted from the list of transfers in under Poch's reign). Its clear that some of these people who write this stuff still don't really get what has gone on in full.

I'm not quite sure what point the article is making?

We got £600k back on Billy Sharp? Wow, didn't know that.

Aside from that, again a tough run up to Christmas, like last year, but hopefully the squad is stronger this time. Rage against the fixtures! Puff our chest out and play with confidence. He who dares, wins!

(and maybe even Pelle, who knows why he did not participate in Italy's friendly with Albania) .

Probably due to the Italian manager changing the entire side and subs. I don't suppose they were all injured.