um pahars

Forest are 5th in current form table (last 8 games). We're 21st, with Plymouth, Derby and Charlton below us. Norwich, Watford and Barnsley just above us. We need to hope those teams maintain their poor current form whilst we improve ours. The next 5 games certainly provide us with a chance of doing that (3 against relegation candidates and 2 other home games). Whether we can improve our form is the key question?

Of course, but if you are going to lose, then IMHO it's probably better to be losing to Swansea and Sheff Utd, than losing to Norwich and Watford. Of course other results matter, but winning against our relegation rivals guarantees we either claw back 3 points on them or pull away from them. Thes e next 5 games are really crucial with 3 against our nearest rivals and 2 other home games.

These 5 games are pivotal for me. We go into them in the bottom three and have: a) Home game against relegation rival 23rd (have to win, and in reality we really should win) b) Two away games against relegation rivals 19th & 21st (cannot afford to lose and two draws could be OK, depending on our other results) c) Two other home games v 4th & 10th (a draw and a win in any combination would probably be good). So, in order of above for me the minimum target is W , D, D, D, D = 7 points. Good would probably be W, D, D, D, W = 9 points. (but of course so much depends on how our rivals peform at the ame time). We might achieve more points than that by winning anoter of our hme games, but if we just cannot afford to lose away and allow our rivals to take points off of us.

With all due respect when you have only won something like 20% of your games and 10 of the bookies have us down for being relegated then I think that if you're being realistic you would have to say that on average we will probably not win most of the forthcoming matches. People are only reflecting on the situation we find ourselves in. I very often have is down for an optimistic win, but at the back of my mind I am fully aware we only win something like one in five. We're not all masochists or pessimists, just being honest that we're not very good this season. And as I have said above and in other posts, after 26 odd games the table does not lie. We are where we are because we're one of the worst teams in this division. I think we have underperformed to some degree, but if that is the case then we have to come back to a manager who has presided over this under performance.

I don't think we've ever looked comfortable. The only time you could say that was with two back to back wins against Doncaster and Norwich, but even they came after a 4 game barren streak and were followed by a 5 game barren streak. Have a look at this statistics sight as it shows the season by game/month/everything you could wish for. http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/teams/Southampton.html The seasons position graph shows that apart from two spikes at 16th and 17th for one game each, we've been well down the bottom. The month by month results show a couple of wins amongst much dross. The table does not lie and we are worthy of our 22nd position!!! One off results always produce somewhat of a knee jerk boost of optimism or a knee jerk bout of depression, but generally after a day or so they are seen in the wider context. And for us that wider context is that losses & draws have mainly been te order of the day, resulting in a fairly poor league position and a current form up until today that was only better than Charlton.

And as I have said before, that's just what we need. Charlton look fcckuked and having appointed Parkinson I think they will continue to struggle. Donny have always looked weak, but we need that third team to get sucked in. I think Forest & Derby will get better (particularly Forest under Davies) and think Norwich might just have too much about them. So we need to be hoping Watford continue to struggle and Blackpool (just lost their manager), Barnsley and their ilk start falling down the table.

Exactly, and just what our old timer of a scorer mutters every Saturday in the summer up the Font as I trudge off moaning that I was outside the line of off. "Well outside off, no idea how he can give that LBW" "Look in the scorebook Godwin!!!!"

Just like today doesn't mean we haven't turned a corner (fingers crossed though), there was nothing in losing one game to say we are/were doomed. That assessment came as a result of half a season and being in the bottom three. And with regards Size, hopefully he will be what we need and without being deemed negative, as good as it is that one of our weaknesses has been addressed, I do think we have the right to ask why it wasn't sorted earlier. That comment from Jan earlier where he admitted he was not aware of how competivie this division is was worrying and has left us playing catch up. We've given ourselves a mountain to climb, but looking at that team on paper before the game, I couldn't help but think that it wasn't that bad (certainly not relegation fodder anyway). A gritty win to day may actually prove more valuable than a sublime win as the players (and coaches) need to realise we have to fight for every point from now to May. Very happy tonight and hopefully a win against Donny is defintiely there for the taking.

Something about "choosers" and "beggars"????? Let's just get some points on the board before we worry too much about playing "totale voetball"!!!!!!!!!

Maybe he's just trying to be a perfectionist and I can't knock him for that. Maybe he's atuned to thinking when you win you need to win well, whereas I would argue most of us don't give a fcckuk how we win (particularly given our current circumstances) as long as we get three points in the bag.

Behave yourselves you pair of kids. We got three points, any true Saints fan is happy with that. We may have got lucky, we may have deserved it, who cares, we've got three points in the bag.

Personally yes. With the exception of Davies he was our best player for the first half of the season, so unless his replacement can live up to that, then I would rather he was still here. Additionally, I also preferred him when he was centre of the park any way. We've been lacking a presence at centre half for the whole season (and that includes when Cork played there) so I'm happy we have tried to address that situation. Hopefully Size can fill the gap.

Before today, our away form is ranked 14th, which as you say would make us comfortable. Either replicate this form, or perhaps maybe look to change how we play at home and we could get out of this.

Look in the score book, we got three points, don't give a fccukc how we got them, but we got them nonetheless.

That'll do nicely 2 late goals from Charlton would help as well

Some good late subs and Davies making a meal of a knock.

Deffo our day, theyve had a very good penatly appeal turned down keep the faith

Absolutely, Davies has kept us in it, they have missed some sitters, yet we're winning. I don't give a monkeys how we win, as long as we do.

A atd desperate methinks. We'll be alright here, Barnsley arent prolific scorers

As it stands we claw a point back on Norwich, Watford & Donny. But Forest winning means we are now two points (although realistically three points cos of GD) adrift of safety. A draw to day is Ok as long as we win against Donny, a win to day would be very valuable.

Armstrong saying Scheiderlin not really been in the game. The longer the game goes n the more confident I'm getting

theyve missed a sitter

Still 23rd, but pulled a point back on Watford, Norwich and Donny. Charlton v Forest still level.

Davies James Perry Size Molyneux BWP Surman Spider Holmes DMG Saga Doesn't look that bad a side (although Molyneux and Ronnie untried and useen). Only concern would be that they havent all played together, but on paper a pretty strong team. 2-1 win

six changes: Ronnie Size molyneux Spider Saga Apparently all in.