saints_is_the_south

Reading will slip up somewhere they are least expected to, such is the way this league is this season. Think Donny will give em a tough test tonight.

If Reading win tomorrow night and Saturday, and we also win at Millwall whilst WHU lose at Leeds, they'd be 6 points adrift in 3rd!

"It was only when they scored it settled an outstanding team down. "They move the ball quick and pass it well. "It was quite overwhelming at times. They're the best team in the division." Always nice to receive a bit of praise from the opposition. And this with us not even being that great yesterday.

Interesting that we have tickets for the lower tier too, must be the first team in years to be given that part of the away stand.

Millwall away always proves a tough one for us, but their home form is awful and this is a game we should be winning if we want to win the league, especially with tougher away games to come in the coming weeks. Millwall's home form since their last win at the Den (against the skates on Boxing Day): Crystal Palace - L 0-1 Birmingham City - L 0-6 Watford - L 0-2 Derby County - D 0-0 Middlesbrough - L 1-3 Reading - L 1-2. 5 defeats in 6 games. My brother is also a Milwall fan, so needless to say a win is imperative for personal reasons too! Reckon it will be tough, and a battle but we'll win 2-1.

*Derby. Agreed though Lee should definitely start alongside Lambo. Fancy us to come out in the same style as we did on Tuesday night, but this time make it count. 4-0 Saints.

Felt quite deflated after the result last night, but don't feel as bad this morning. Reading have the toughest run in out of the lot, and despite only getting a draw last night we move up to 2nd in the form table, behind only Reading. http://www.footballformguide.net/form/npower-championship Ipswich are also bang in form, 5 wins from their last 6 but we should have put them to the sword in the 1st half with all those chances we had. On another day, we could have been 3-0 up at HT, and that other day may well be Saturday. Barnsley have lost 4 out of their last 6, so we really should be beating them. Drop points against them and I'd be concerned.

+1.

With a quarter of the season now left, I think its an apt time to start this thread. Sticky please mods? Included everyone down to 9th place, of which 13 points separate. Quite a few teams with games in hand though, if Hull win their 2 for example they'd jump to 4th and if anybody puts a run of 5 or 6 wins in a row together they can jump right up the league (ala Reading). Direct clashes in bold. Depending on result a few teams can probably be taken out in a few weeks time. SAINTS 06.03.12 - Ipswich Town (H) 10.03.12 - Barnsley (H) 17.03.12 - Millwall (A) 20.03.12 - Hull City (A) 24.03.12 - Doncaster Rovers (H) 31.03.12 - Blackpool (A) 07.04.12 - Portsmouth (H) 09.04.12 - Crystal Palace (A) 13.04.12 - Reading (H) 17.04.12 - Peterborough United (A) 21.04.12 - Middlesbrough (A) 28.04.12 - Coventry City (H) West Ham United 04.03.12 - Cardiff City (A) 07.03.12 - Watford (H) 10.03.12 - Doncaster Rovers (H) 17.03.12 - Leeds United (A) 20.03.12 - Middlesborough (H) 24.03.12 - Burnley (A) 27.03.12 - Peterbrough United (A) 31.03.12 - Reading (H) 06.04.12 - Barnsley (A) 09.04.12 - Birmingham City 14.04.12 - Brighton & Hove Albion 17.04.12 - Bristol City (A) 21.04.12 - Leicester City (A) 28.04.12 - Hull City (H) Reading 06.03.12 - Portsmouth (H) 10.03.12 - Leicester City (H) 13.03.12 - Doncaster Rovers (A) 17.03.12 - Barnsley (A) 20.03.12 - Peterborough United (A) 24.03.12 - Blackpool (H) 31.03.12 - West Ham United (A) 06.04.12 - Leeds United (H) 10.04.12 - Brighton & Hove Albion (A) 13.04.12 - SAINTS (A) 17.04.12 - Nottingham Forest (H) 21.04.12 - Crystal Palace (H) 28.04.12 - Birmingham City (A) Blackpool 06.03.12 - Derby County (A) 10.03.12 - Peterborough United (A) 17.03.12 - Brighton & Hove Albion (H) 21.03.12 - Leicester City (H) 24.03.12 - Reading (A) 31.03.12 - SAINTS (A) 06.04.12 - Watford (A) 09.04.12 - Barnsley (H) 14.04.12 - Nottingham Forest (A) 17.04.12 - Leeds United (H) 21.04.12 - Burnley (H) 28.04.12 - Millwall (A) Middlesbrough 06.03.12 - Barnsley (H) 11.03.12 - Leeds United (H) 17.03.12 - Birmingham City (A) 20.03.12 - West Ham United (A) 24.03.12 - Bristol City (H) 27.03.12 - Ipswich Town (A) 31.03.12 - Brighton & Hove Albion (A) 07.04.12 - Cardiff City (H) 09.04.12 - Hull City (A) 14.04.12 - Derby County (A) 17.04.12 - Doncaster Rovers (H) 21.04.12 - SAINTS (H) 28.04.12 - Watford (A) Birmingham City 10.03.12 - Coventry City (A) 13.03.12 - Leicester City (A) 17.03.12 - Middlesbrough (H) 20.03.12 - Portsmouth (A) 25.03.12 - Cardiff City (H) 30.03.12 - Doncaster Rovers (A) 03.04.12 - Burnley (A) 07.04.12 - Crystal Palace (H) 09.04.12 - West Ham United (A) 14.04.12 - Bristol City (H) 17.04.12 - Ipswich Town (A) 21.04.12 - Brighton & Hove Albion (A) 28.04.12 - Reading (H) Brighton & Hove Albion 07.03.12 - Cardiff City (H) 10.03.12 - Portsmouth (H) 17.03.12 - Blackpool (A) 20.03.12 - Derby County (H) 24.03.12 - Nottingham Forest (A) 31.03.12 - Middlesbrough (H) 06.04.12 - Burnley (A) 10.04.12 - Reading (H) 14.04.12 - West Ham United (A) 17.04.12 - Watford (H) 21.04.12 - Birmingham City (H) 28.04.12 - Barnsley (A) Cardiff City 04.03.12 - West Ham United (H) 07.03.12 - Brighton & Hove Albion (A) 10.03.12 - Bristol City (A) 13.03.12 - Hull City (H) 18.03.12 - Burnley (H) 21.03.12 - Coventry City (H) 25.03.12 - Birmingham City (A) 31.03.12 - Millwall (H) 07.04.12 - Middlesbrough (A) 09.04.12 - Watford (H) 14.04.12 - Barnsley (A) 17.04.12 - Derby County (H) 21.04.12 - Leeds United (H) 28.04.12 - Crystal Palace (A) Hull City 06.03.12 - Leeds United (H) 10.03.12 - Ipswich Town (H) 13.03.12 - Cardiff City (A) 17.03.12 - Crystal Palace (A) 20.03.12 - SAINTS (H) 24.03.12 - Leicester City (A) 27.03.12 - Portsmouth (A) 31.03.12 - Coventry City (H) 07.04.12 - Millwall (A) 09.04.12 - Middlesbrough (H) 14.04.12 - Watford (A) 17.04.12 - Barnsley (H) 21.04.12 - Nottingham Forest (H) 28.04.12 - West Ham United (A)

Fox went off yesterday in the 2nd half injured, groin I think so don't see him playing Tuesday night. Hope Lallana is fit. My team: Davis Richardson - Hooiveld - Fonte - Harding Guly - Hammond - Schneiderlin - Lallana Lambert - Lee Subs: Martin, Cork, Chaplow, Sharp, Connolly Freshen things up a bit I think.

The reaction of the players and staff at FT tonight sums up what a feel good factor and togetherness there is at our club at the moment. Brilliant. When I think back to the dark days only a few years ago and what we have now, it brings a huge smile to my face.

Good result that. Can go 9 points clear of Blackpool with a win tomorrow night. I can actuall see us, West Ham & Reading pulling away from the rest as the month goes on.

Was thinking about this too and was going to start a thread after Saturday's game but never got round to it. Lambert is the best penalty taker I've ever seen, even better than MLT imo. He hits the ball so accurately and even if the keeper gets a hand to it (Carlisle at Wembley for example) the power he puts behind em any keeper is going to find hard to stop.

Official figures: Barnsley - 1,138 Ipswich - 1,165 Leicester - 2,682 Burnley - 1,155 Derby - 2,611 Reading - 4,203 Crystal Palace (LGC) - 2,571 Coventry - 3,008 Bristol City - 2,173 Doncaster - 1,792 Brighton - 2,422 Coventry (FA Cup) - 1,734 Nottm Forest - 2,294 Millwall (FA Cup) - 1,503 Birmingham - 1,555 Watford - 1,955 Un-official figures: Swindon (LGC) - 1600 Approx Cardiff - 1700 Approx Skates - 3000 approx West Ham - 3000 approx

Leeds are nothing special and especially leaky at the back. We may have to mix it, which we have proved we can do and I see no reason why we shouldn't be coming away with a win. West Ham away to Cardiff on Sunday so a chance to go 4 points clear ahead of that game, and possibly stay 4 points clear come FT between Cardiff & the Hammers.

Been a very good signing, and to have nearly 20 assists from our two full backs alone is fantastic. Fox still plays the long straight or diagonal ball a little too often at times IMO and too many times doesn't reach the desired target with those, but apart from that he's been great. Had a superb game Saturday.

Having to buy for the Doncaster game makes sense, probably the least attractive home fixture remaining for the season so should guarantee a good crowd for that one.

Banners on the bridges over the M27 mocking them sounds good to me. The plod would probably order that they are taken down mind.

Watch us lose at Watford now!

+1.

Best atmosphere today for quite a while IMO, St Mary's was rocking right from the start. Well done all. On the contrary, Derby have to be to worst away fans in terms of singing that I've seen in ages.

We played Derby at St Mary's in February 2007 when we were sixth and they were in the top 2, attendance was 27,656. Was expecting similar today tbh.

In the middle of a promotion push for a return to the Premier League, a chance to return to the top of the table and a Saturday 3pm kick off, I'd say at least 24-25,000.

Very poor if true, but the staff at the ticket office have been wrong more often than not.

Looking at our next 6 games, now is the time to really put a winning streak together to cement 2nd place and maybe even reclaim top spot ahead of the last month of the season. Derby - H Watford - A Leeds - A Ipswich - H Barnsley - H Millwall - A 5 teams in the lower half of the table and with nothing really to play for (Millwall aside perhaps, although once the Skates get their points deduction that should see them safe too) and Leeds who aren't in great form (only 3 wins 10 games and lost last 2 at home). All very winnable games. If we are serious about challenging West Ham for the title, then I think 16 points out of 18 should be the target. For 2nd I thnk we need at least 12 from the next 6. But that is a run of fixtures where we need to put a 4 or 5 winning match run together IMO, before the "harder" fixtures at the end of March/April.