SNSUN

That's just it - whatever the final table and wherever we finish, it won't be justification for how good our current team really is. So many factors have made us more positive this season - the discovery of Shaw and of how good he really is, finding a keeper that can actually earn us points rather than lose us them, seeing us solidfy much more when Cork came back into the side, seeing Jos improve as the season has gone on, playing more direct, pressing football under Pochettino, seeing our lower league players step up and prove themselves Premier League quality. If we go down, God forbid but it may still happen, surely this will be one of the better teams ever to slump out of the division. I don't think it'll come to that though. One win for the rest of the season though - I'd be surprised if it were that few.

Ignore us - if you offered that final table to Newcastle, they'd rip your balls off for it! I can see them picking up a few points, they won't be in the relegation mix for sure, but that would be an impressive end to the season for them! After seeing them against Wigan though, they were poor - Wigan were the better side, and so I can also see them dropping silly points. Wigan's performance on Sunday, coupled with Aston Villa's recent form, if what gives me the most concern about our own predicament. If both keep those performances up, the final points total could be a lot higher than we think - and ergo could drag those clubs that are on 33-34 points into the mix.

Shows how Chelsea's form has slumped off. They were leading the race at the start of the season.

Spurs are after him as a ready made replacement for Bale. Well they can knob off. As can the others. Yes I can see big clubs wanting him, and perhaps his head will turn, but we'll really challenge next season if we stay up and reinforce. We're where we are in the League table this year because it took us a while to find our feet in the division, new players hadn't bedded, we missed players like Cork, and we had to wait a while to find a decent Keeper and Left back. We now have both - and with even more reinforcements in the summer, I fail to see why we can't be a challenging top 8 side next season. But that would mean keeping our youngsters like Shaw. How much money would tempt Cortese? Hopefully none. There are perhaps one or two crown jewels we could afford to sell if we had to, Ramirez for one, (perhaps even Lambert and Cork if the money was ridiculous) and find good or better replacements for, but players like Shaw, Clyne, Morgan and Adam are who we should be building the team around. Incidentally, I was going to post this on a seperate thread but as Shaw has this one, could you see us converting Shaw into a winger as Spurs did with Bale? Granted he's more valuable to us as a left back, but with his attacking play and crossing, I could see it happen as an option.

Because we were in the Championship. Fox is better going forward but Harding was the better defender. Thank God we promoted Shaw when we did, he's been exceptional. A new left back much needed in the summer. The others I'd keep, but I think Sharp will probably be off anyway.

(In Will Smith accent) "Awwwww HELL NO." The others I perhaps agree with, unless better reinforcements can be made, but I'd rather no back up left back than Fox. I'd rather play Jos or Forren at left back. Or Seaborne. Or my wife. Ok perhaps not her, but you get the gist. Even Harding would have been better back up than Fox. I loathe knocking a Saints player but Fox is not Premier League quality and never will be.

Haha! Brilliant drama at Ewood Park. To be fair, that's the best decision they've made all season, but it does counteract the stupid one they made when they appointed him. Perhaps now clubs will see him for the defensive, long merchant he is. Plus he looks like Chuck Rock. Blackpool had a lucky escape.

Great appointment for Reading if so - all I hear on places like TalkSport is fans of nPC sides saying "If we sack our manager, I hope we go for Adkins" so his reputation goes before him. Not such a great choice for Adkins if it happens, he'll have a Premier League relegation on his CV despite not being the one that caused it, and though Reading have a bit of money behind them now, I can't see them bouncing straight back up if they go down. Still whatever happens, fair play to them and him, and best of luck, except, of course, against us!

I said they could be relegated - mathmatically they can - I then went on to debunk why they wouldn't. We have goals in us, which is perhaps why we won't go down - but I've just seen Sunderland's fixtures again - they need their big players to really step up. Villa are also surprising me at present - I have them to go down with Reading and QPR but Saturday's win for them was massive - and Benteke as their best player has really stepped up with their goalscoring, and they've looked better since young Sylla has come into the team. Fair play to Lambert if he keeps them up.

JRod, Ramirez and Lallana are currently the preferred trio - I think it's as simple as that. Guly cam on the other day but I think that was more to do with his height if anything. Puncheon still has a big role to play for us, but even my preferred 3 would be JRod, Ramirez and Adam. No disrespect to Puncheon, who has been excellent this season - but Adam is back from injury now and is playing well, Rodriguez is on form and Ramirez is hard to drop because of his price tag and potential quality. If anything it's good to have the competition for places, and Mayuka isn't even getting a look in.

Weirdly, that could still keep us up, if Wigan gain no more than 3 points...

I still think anyone from Stoke downwards could still be relegated. A good win for Fulham against Spurs has probably sealed them another season in the Prem. Some people are saying it's 3 teams from 6; I think it'll be Reading, QPR and one from the bottom ten in the table. I agree with the above - Sunderland are looking very suspect. Wigan are masters of getting out of trouble, I think we have enough about us to look up rather than down, and Norwich and Newcastle shouldn't have any worries either. Stoke usually grind results out annoyingly, as do West Ham. It'll be an interesting couople of months. Incidentally I've just been looking at other teams' forums. The contrast between QPR's and Reading's is very strange - despite being on the same points, Reading fans are full of acceptance of relegation, whilst QPR fans are whooping and claiming they'll staying up whilst reciting Arry's "5 more wins" philosophy. Deluded.

March 30 Chelsea (H) Win April 6: Reading (A) Win April 13: West Ham (H) Win April 20: Swansea (A) Draw April 27: West Brom (H) Win May 4: Tottenham (A) Lose May 12: Sunderland (A) Win May 19: Stoke (H) Win Overconfident? :-D 9 more points and we're safe IMO. 3 wins. That should be doable, even if we have to beat Stoke on the last day. Will it come to that? Hope not.

MJ's daughter. (Look but don't touch, for a couple of years at least...)

Full member status gives you access to sex with Bearsy. Sadly I've yet to successfully stalk him to get my money's worth.

Full time? D. But it changes on form - Davis was very good against Man City, Puncheon has been very good all season too, but in terms of talent, it has to be JRod, Adam and Gaston - although you could even argue that my inclusion of JRod there is based on form.

I've said all along Reading will finish bottom. They just don't have enough strength in depth or quality. Looks like Pogrebniak's wages will haunt them next season. QPR's recent resurgence stalled today against a poor Villa side too, so in my mind they're down too, but I still think Reading will finish bottom. As for the other spot? Well Wigan have been cut adrift too, but they have players to put together some wins, as they showed against everton in the cup. I would still have Villa for the other spot, although I wouldn't like a bet on it.

I just thought it was a night of TV where past it comedians bring back their past it comedy characters to see if they can score a new series. Oh, and the Africans and their "our water is dirty it gives us diahorrea. This pond water is all we have to drink," followed by a shot of dozens of dirty African children swimming (and no doubt urinating) in said pond. And nobody gets their norks out - I'd pay a lot more to see some Holly Willoughbooby bewbage. Nah, seriously that's not me. (perhaps the last one is...) I don't mind Comic Relief actually, it's mildly entertaining compared to Children in Need which is a snoozefest. I'd rather be laughed into parting with my money than sung to by tuneless boy bands. I give to charities I support, not ones I'm forced to - but I don't mind parting with a few quid for Comic Relief.

Gold Cup - went for Silviniano Conti and a bit on Captain Chris (as that's my name, well I'm cack at form.) Paul Nicholls trains Conti and is the hope to replace Kauto Star.

Just glancing at our fixtures again, and I think perhaps we could get 10 more points. That includes a win against Stoke on the last day, so really it's only 7 points until that game. That's not a great stat. Anything, ANYTHING we can pick up against Liverpool or Chelsea would be a massive bonus. We need to stay in this division, there's no other way of saying it, and that means winning the winnable games. Failure to do that, we go down and lose our best players. Simple as that. I think we could survive but it will be a close run thing. It's like being a Saints fan of old. I'd forgotten how gruelling it was.

Sunderland and Wigan winning would be very bad results for us, QPR drawing at Villa is about as good as we could hope for. I'd love us to scrape a win, Sunderland to lose Wigan to lose (Newcastle will be safe) and perhaps even QPR to beat Villa. It won't happen though. I can see us in the relegation zone in a few weeks, but with a slightly easier run in of fixtures than the other teams. It'll get hairier before it gets better IMO.

Cork and Morgan are the unsung heroes in our squad, so I'm not surprised Cork doesn't get a look in. I was surprised enough when he got picked for the Olympics, even if he did hardly play any of it. Unsung players can get picked for England, but it's only playing for a club consistantly in the limelight at the 'top of the league'. It's no surprise Parker gets picked more now than when he was at Charlton. I don't think any Saints should be in there yet, but I can see two or three of our lads in the England squad regularly in the next few years - if we don't get relegated then that will be with us, otherwise it will be with someone else. I think Lallana will find his form, Cork, and Shaw could all be future England regulars. (Clyne? JRod? Puncheon? Nah.)

Annoyingly after a run of extreme late shifts, I've basically just slept through the first two days of Cheltenham, which while frustrating has probably saved me a hundred quid or so. I snuck a couple of quid on The Liquidator e/w in the last race today, which annoyingly came in fourth. Every year I'm cack at this, will I ever learn...

starring Tom VVanks. Just scrolling through Sky Movies for ideas - there's a film called 12 Disasters. Perfect.

3 games i can get to in the tail end of this season, Chelsea, West Ham, Stoke, becomes 2. :-(