saints_is_the_south

So a draw tomorrow and we go above Villa and are effectively safe due to our superior goal difference over them and Wigan.

Their fans seem to think we'll only be taking about 500 up there so they are going to be a bit surprised when 2,000 of us roll up.

I remember seeing a league table of teams' records against Manchester United during the Premier League era shortly before we played them at the start of this season, Saints were around 5th or 6th I believe.

Top half. Somewhere between 10th and 8th, and a cup run.

We are safe. No way Wigan will win at Arsenal (I know they did last season) 3 days after playing a cup final. And certainly not defending like they did, comical at times. Best £50 I've ever lost betting on Wigan to win tonight. And breatheeeee!

Just done the same, softens the blow when they do.

I suspect you were saying the same thing when we went 3 without a win (including 2 defeats) at the end of February & beginning of March. After that, we "magically turned our form around" and "somehow got more points", by winning 3 games in a row and going on an unbeaten run of 6 games. But no, it is impossible that we are going to get anything from our next 2 games, of course it is.

Wigan will beat Swansea, I'm pretty certain of that. I've done the BBC Predictor about 10 times since Saturday, and my conclusion is that if Norwich fail to beat West Brom at home, then they will get relegated as I don't see them getting anything at the Etihad. In that scenario, we are already safe on 39 points.

Really? Looking at the final day fixtures I'd rather have our game than Norwich's, Newcastle's or Sunderland's.

Good post. I think we need 1 more point to be safe. I think Wigan will beat Swansea tomorrow, but also think that Chelsea will win at Villa, and the way my predictor turned out Arsenal would need a win against Wigan to confirm a top 4 finish, which I think they'll get. So we'd then be level with Villa, and 2 ahead of Wigan which would make us mathematically safe. Wigan beat Villa and we lose to Stoke, we stay above Villa on GD barring an improbable swing in that. Villa beat Wigan we stay clear of the latter regardless of our result against Stoke, and if those 2 draw then we remain 1 point ahead of Wigan. If Wigan go and win at the Emirates or Villa beat Chelsea then all of the above goes out of the window.

Certainly going to have one eye on the WBA-Wigan game tomorrow, hopefully the Baggies can repeat the performance they put in against us. If Wigan lose tomorrow then that's us safe for sure. Even if they won their game in hand against Swansea which would put them 4 points behind us (assuming we lost at WHL), their next PL game is Arsenal away so lose that and we are mathematically safe. So how comfortable the final 2 games are for us, really hinges on tomorrow. If Wigan beat WBA and Swansea, the it really would be squeaky bum time.

£575 this season, expecting £650 for next so I'll be pleased if its less than that. Of course, with the new TV money ticket prices should be going down, rather than up.

12th

Spurs 2-1 Saints Sunderland 1-1 Saints Saints 2-0 Stoke

We are going to drink around Liverpool Street station. Direct train from there to WHL station. Some decent boozers around that way.

A Spurs supporting mate informed me yesterday that they will not beat us if they play as they did at Wigan. This was after me telling him they'd pulverise us if we repeated the WBA performance. Got a strange feeling we'll get something out of this. Had similar feelings against City, Liverpool and Chelsea. Spurs don't have a direct style, they'll look to play it out from the back which should suit us. They are under big pressure atm and they know that any dropped points will see their CL hopes go up in smoke once and for all. And I think our players will have a fire cracker up they're arses this week in training, as Poch seemed fuming after the game Saturday. We could easily get tonked, but I'm going Spurs 1–2 Saints. If Fulham and Wigan can go there and do a job on them, then why can't we?

Newcastle at home was his best game in a Saints shirt without a doubt. We should have won 5 or 6 nil that day. No exaggeration either.

Seem to remember Hooiveld having very good games against Liverpool and Man City, but never mind that as it doesn't suit the agenda of this thread. I agree Fox is clearly not good enough at this level, and whilst Jos had a bad game today he has proved on other occasions this season that he is good enough for this league, and he is what you call 'adequate' cover. Cover is exactly what he should be though, if we do want to push on.

Yep, we can wave good bye to that!

Not sure about that, his best game in a Saints shirt was at home to Newcastle (IMO) when it was p!ssing it down all day.

Just watched the 20 min interview on The Southampton Way App. Brilliant. Seems a very cultured individual, a fantastic footballer but still with the hunger to improve even more. Very excited about his and our future.

Cheers, you're most welcome. Mods, any chance TSW could replicate something similar for next season? Really enjoy reading the majority of opposition fans views on us.

Hope they have learned from having so many home friendlies last summer. No need. A tour somewhere in Europe, northern Italy as has been suggested above would be great, a couple of away friendlies here. I'd scrap the tournament format for the ML trophy and make it a one off game against a big European side at SMS for the final friendly of the summer. Indeed, if we do make it into the Europa League qualifying rounds then we won't be play many pre-season friendlies.

£575 for me this season in the Kingsland North. Expecting £650 next season. Imagine they will do the same as last summer, June for ST renewals and July for new buy.

Thanks for the post. Hadn't realised Mulumbu was missing, which makes me more confident of a Saints win than I already was. Your season seems to have petered out somewhat, but that is no surprise given how well you started and the fact you were safe months ago. Still, 8th is a great season for you. WBA's season is probably something we will be looking to replicate next season actually.