Jimmy_D

This time last season we were third, but only two points ahead of 5th and three ahead of 8th. Injuries to Boruc and Lovren meant we were quickly swallowed up by the chasing pack. This time, we're four points ahead of third, seven ahead of 5th, nine ahead of Newcastle and Man Utd in 7th and 8th. Other top four contenders are dropping so many points against so called weaker opposition that we're actually starting to think about finishing there instead of just enjoying being there. We've got a bit deeper squad (albeit still vulnerable to a keeper injury) and it's all coming after we wondered whether relegation would possibly be a threat.

I'll go for 00.00 - 01.00 Cheers!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2831289/Morgan-Schneiderlin-holds-contract-talks-Southampton-French-midfielder-hints-exit.html Can only imagine we're selling to him that we ARE (at least potentially) a big club.

Senderos has picked up yet another injury on international duty. Out of the international games, and a doubt for the game against us.

Next they'll be asking their fans to buy lottery tickets for them.

I really hope we can manage to keep hold of Alderweireld. We've only conceded twice while he's been on the pitch for us.

Indeed. It also forgets that against Liverpool, we probably deserved at least a draw, despite 6 players making their debut for us that day. Also, we didn't have Alderweireld or Mane at that time. Since we got Alderweireld, we've only conceded two goals while he's been on the pitch.

http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=307573

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/England/Southampton.html

Would that be the same 'no one decent' that everyone else keeps dropping points against?

Pretty decent way to go into an international break!

It is starting to get scary now. We keep winning over and over, while having one of the tightest defences in Europe. Meanwhile, more and more results elsewhere keep going our way. It's starting to feel like the back to back promotion seasons, especially the Championship one where no-one was giving us a chance at the start.

Is it too early to start the 'Points above Liverpool/Spurs' threads?

Don't look it as how many points the team in fourth could have dropped and still got fourth. They got those points, they set the benchmark. Look at it as how many points the team in fifth needed to overhaul them, because they dropped short and didn't make it.

On RAWK they have an alternative Premier League table. http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=315567.0 Instead of totting up points for each game, instead they assign each game a 'par' score, for a team to reach 90 points and win the league. (They measure against 71 points to get top four on average) The displayed totals are compared to that par score. Ends up the same as the normal table, but does help during the season to compare how difficult a team's fixtures have been so far.

The difficult run of games coming up, I don't see them as a threat now. They're an opportunity.

Wow.

If we could give Lallana a warm welcome (of the burning flames of contempt kind), watch Lovren score an own goal for us, and get Rodgers sacked in the same game... I think I would enjoy that weekend... Sorry SRL

Because it's behind a paywall. They make their money from subscriptions, so routinely search for the text of their articles and start legal action if they find it, to make sure the only way of accessing it is through their paywall.

Sorry, but I have to delete that. In summary, article says that random chance can make anyone look good by sheer luck, people read patterns in random occurrences, so in conclusion, it's too early to tell if Koeman is a good manager.

To be fair, we DID have the Latvian Michael Owen...

Over a quarter of the season gone and we're top two. People will point at our fixtures so far, but we're picking up points where other teams have slipped. Factor in that Koeman has a very good reputation for picking up wins against top teams... That little tiny chance of a top four spot is growing by the week.

We March On.

Post #3

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?52252-Hull-v-Saints-Match-thread-and-reactions#.VFT2SIjfWrU