Champions League - Can we do it?

injury or suspension to Forster............perhaps Kelvin could cope...perhaps.

We have gradually built up strength in depth across the whole field, except goalkeeper. It such a glaring weakness. It only makes sense if we have a recall option on Boruc.

Hopefully European matches starting again will take their toll on the others too

Therefore if we qualify for Champions league or Europa then this could be us next season, I do not wish to sound negative and would love for Saints to qualify for the Champions League, if only to shove it up the axxe of the so called top six and there media buddies, what worries me is our premiership status and maintaining that alongside the CL/Europa league plus our league and F.A. Cup matches as well. We have seen how we have not been as effective when key players are out, so with all these extra games combined with the travel can Saints cope with that? Therefore would the club invest in further players to ensure that we had adequate cover, as said I would be delighted if we qualified but it does raise a lot of questions. There is no doubt in my opinion that we have embarrassed and upset the boards of the top six, they must hate the fact that we are even close to possibly gaining a CL place, in essence Southampton football club has out smarted them and they must resent it; even the so called "financial fair play" which is specifically geared to ensure there top six status has been shown to be flawed, the FA of course will say that it is there to ensure clubs do not overspend and do a Pompey, only one answer to that and that is Buxxshxt, if they wanted fair play then we would all have the same budget on transfers and wage caps, then the playing field would be level, still that is enough from me, I would love to read other forum users views.

My feeling is that we will fall on the way due to injury or just bottle. Saints don't do this...this winning consistently thing...this staying focussed thing. Something will break us. Surely? If we finished 6th it would an incredible season and no mistake. Anything higher quite frankly would be a stellar achievement that would leave English football gasping. Once again, we can say...strap up and enjoy the ride!

My feeling is that we will fall on the way due to injury or just bottle. Saints don't do this...this winning consistently thing...this staying focussed thing. Something will break us. Surely? If we finished 6th it would an incredible season and no mistake. Anything higher quite frankly would be a stellar achievement that would leave English football gasping. Once again, we can say...strap up and enjoy the ride!

Well 5th would just be gutting.

Listened to a Spurs supporter a couple of hours ago on Talk Shyte claiming that if they win UEFA cup and were not in top four they would be taking the English fourth spot in the Champions League.Any truth or rubbish?

Listened to a Spurs supporter a couple of hours ago on Talk Shyte claiming that if they win UEFA cup and were not in top four they would be taking the English fourth spot in the Champions League.Any truth or rubbish?

Rubbish.

As the prize for Europa League is a CL spot it doesn't come from the nation's originally designated spots. There was something about this on here a little while ago. I think it does mean a max 5 teams can qualify though.

For example: Spurs win Europa League, finish 6th. Arsenal win CL, finish 5th and Saints finish 4th. I don't think we would qualify.

Though that might be wrong. I'm fairly sure that Europa League winners don't pinch a spot of league qualifiers.

Listened to a Spurs supporter a couple of hours ago on Talk Shyte claiming that if they win UEFA cup and were not in top four they would be taking the English fourth spot in the Champions League.Any truth or rubbish?

There's your answer. It's an additional place

Rubbish.

 

For example: Spurs win Europa League, finish 6th. Arsenal win CL, finish 5th and Saints finish 4th. I don't think we would qualify.

 

Though that might be wrong. I'm fairly sure that Europa League winners don't pinch a spot of league qualifiers.

That's how I understood it to.

Therefore if we qualify for Champions league or Europa then this could be us next season, I do not wish to sound negative and would love for Saints to qualify for the Champions League, if only to shove it up the axxe of the so called top six and there media buddies, what worries me is our premiership status and maintaining that alongside the CL/Europa league plus our league and F.A. Cup matches as well. We have seen how we have not been as effective when key players are out, so with all these extra games combined with the travel can Saints cope with that? Therefore would the club invest in further players to ensure that we had adequate cover, as said I would be delighted if we qualified but it does raise a lot of questions. There is no doubt in my opinion that we have embarrassed and upset the boards of the top six, they must hate the fact that we are even close to possibly gaining a CL place, in essence Southampton football club has out smarted them and they must resent it; even the so called "financial fair play" which is specifically geared to ensure there top six status has been shown to be flawed, the FA of course will say that it is there to ensure clubs do not overspend and do a Pompey, only one answer to that and that is Buxxshxt, if they wanted fair play then we would all have the same budget on transfers and wage caps, then the playing field would be level, still that is enough from me, I would love to read other forum users views.

The answer is almost certainly yes. The question is whether it would invest in enough cover soon enough. This is one reason third place is so much better than fourth place because you know you have qualified for the group stage and you know you will get at least 30 million euros. With fourth place you might end up in the Europa League and be lucky to get 5 million Euros.

Agree with second point about fair play but that kind of fair play is simply not feasible in a league with relegation and the potential for European competition. The NFL has fair play in that sense but only because no team can get relegated and there is no competition other than the league itself.

Rubbish.

 

As the prize for Europa League is a CL spot it doesn't come from the nation's originally designated spots. There was something about this on here a little while ago. I think it does mean a max 5 teams can qualify though.

 

For example: Spurs win Europa League, finish 6th. Arsenal win CL, finish 5th and Saints finish 4th. I don't think we would qualify.

 

Though that might be wrong. I'm fairly sure that Europa League winners don't pinch a spot of league qualifiers.

You are right. I discussed it in more detail in my blog.

http://redsloscf.blogspot.com/2015/01/european-qualification-rules-for.html

You are right. I discussed it in more detail in my blog.

 

http://redsloscf.blogspot.com/2015/01/european-qualification-rules-for.html

It was probably your post I stole it from on another thread to be honest, so thanks for that

It was probably your post I stole it from on another thread to be honest, so thanks for that

I am just glad to hear that one of my blogs was helpful rather than depriving people of the will to live.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2946515/Arsenal-Manchester-United-beat-Spurs-Southampton-Liverpool-Champions-League-s-why.html

Arsenal and Manchester United will beat Spurs, Southampton and Liverpool to the Champions League... and here's why

 

I guess it's the same numpties that told us we would never qualify for the Champion's League that are now telling us that if we do we qualify, we won't be able to compete in the Champion's League.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2946515/Arsenal-Manchester-United-beat-Spurs-Southampton-Liverpool-Champions-League-s-why.html

The other concern is that Saints have to go to both Chelsea and Manchester City in the run-in.

Christ, scraping the barrel there aren't they? 2 out of our remaining 14 games are probably what you'd consider write-offs, so we won't get in the top 4? What if we win the other 12 games?

The other worry - that Pelles goals have dried up - kind of disproves itself anyway. He hasn't been scoring regularly since what, november? And yet we're still in the top 4, over three months later.

I guess it's the same numpties that told us we would never qualify for the Champion's League that are now telling us that if we do we qualify, we won't be able to compete in the Champion's League.

There were certainly quite a few that said that it would never happen, because we would be deluded to believe that we could break the glass ceiling that was represented by Chelski, City, United, the Arse, Liverpool, Spurs and even Everton. Then there was the contingent that admitted that it was possible, but only conditional on the expenditure of a couple of hundred million £s.

We only need to carry on at the current level of perfomance until the end of the season and we will have broken through the glass ceiling and have achieved it without the expenditure of hundreds of millions. Even if we don't make the top four, we have performed at a level that very few of even our own most ardent fans would have believed possible after the Summer of Discontent.

Pelle seems to have had an opposition player attached to his hip over his goal scoring drought. I wonder with Elia and Mane in the team and with their pace and apparent goal scoring form whether opposing teams might concentrate more effort in nullifying their threat and therefore free Pelle up to gain more scoring opportunities?

Pelle seems to have had an opposition player attached to his hip over his goal scoring drought. I wonder with Elia and Mane in the team and with their pace and apparent goal scoring form whether opposing teams might concentrate more effort in nullifying their threat and therefore free Pelle up to gain more scoring opportunities?

Certainly appeared that way v QPR...so much space for them to run into as they were trying to stop Pelle from playing.

Pelle seems to have had an opposition player attached to his hip over his goal scoring drought. I wonder with Elia and Mane in the team and with their pace and apparent goal scoring form whether opposing teams might concentrate more effort in nullifying their threat and therefore free Pelle up to gain more scoring opportunities?

I am sure that is the plan.

The answer is almost certainly yes. The question is whether it would invest in enough cover soon enough. This is one reason third place is so much better than fourth place because you know you have qualified for the group stage and you know you will get at least 30 million euros. With fourth place you might end up in the Europa League and be lucky to get 5 million Euros.

 

Agree with second point about fair play but that kind of fair play is simply not feasible in a league with relegation and the potential for European competition. The NFL has fair play in that sense but only because no team can get relegated and there is no competition other than the league itself.

Thanks for that Redslo, that clarified those two points for me, with reference to fair play though, do you not think that long term it could be the undoing of the premier league in its current format.

Thanks for that Redslo, that clarified those two points for me, with reference to fair play though, do you not think that long term it could be the undoing of the premier league in its current format.[/QUOTE]

 

Yes. I have been working on and researching a blog post of this subject but I have been loathe to write it and sound stupid so I am holding off until I am more confident in what I have to say or until I don't care if I sound stupid.

It a between us and United, if the run ins are anything to go by. Spurs and Liverpool still have Chelsea, city to play when they'll be gunning for the title so can see dropped points there. Arsenal always liable to slip up but have easiest run in, followed by ours. We've got Chelsea away and City away but by the time we play City, it may very well be dead rubber for them....

It a between us and United, if the run ins are anything to go by. Spurs and Liverpool still have Chelsea, city to play when they'll be gunning for the title so can see dropped points there. Arsenal always liable to slip up but have easiest run in, followed by ours. We've got Chelsea away and City away but by the time we play City, it may very well be dead rubber for them....

Every team has Chelsea and City in the run in, the only teams that don't have to play BOTH are Spurs and Arsenal.

Listening to scholes and co on bt sport made me wanna barf. They literally gave west ham more chance of top four than us, and more airtime too, yet were in third!!! Only Phil Neville said he didn't think we'd drop off and he's just covering his bases after tipping us to go down. Really hope we get it just to give those elitist knobheads a dilemma, just to put them through the pain of showing a little respect.

Any one who says we can't is a defeatist and anyone who says we can is a dreamer. I like the lack of middle ground . It makes the next month very interesting.

Any one who says we can't is a defeatist and anyone who says we can is a dreamer. I like the lack of middle ground . It makes the next month very interesting.

Think that's a good post and sums up why it's hard to judge for us.

If we were fans of Liverpool or any other club below us we would look at saints form, players coming back from injury, fact that at Christmas when fixtures were hard and our squad would be found out - but we did the best in the league... And seeing us in 3rd this late..and would think 3rd quite likely. But just doesn't seem right for us to predict that.

But equally having spent so long in top 4, even a finish of 5th or 6th may seem an anticlimax.

If we do drop down, finish 6th, 7th or 8th, I wonder how much those posters who predicted relegation battle and said our squad is weak, will moan?

Its so tough, IMO we are as likely to finish 7th as 3rd, so tight.

Basically leaves no margin for error, one form slump and you are pretty much out of the race, but the same applies to the other teams too.

Every game is massive, especially the ones at home to Liverpool and Spurs, where depending on the state of the table at the time, the result will have a major influence.

Both those teams have Europa League, but I think Spurs especially will deprioritise that.

If we end up outside the European slots people will rightly be disappointed having been up there for so long, but whatever happens its been a great season.

The Burnley and Swansea results will haunt us......

The Burnley and Swansea results will haunt us......

Don't forget Villa.

The Burnley and Swansea results will haunt us......

But we also got lucky Swansea away, arguably Utd away and Newcastle with the last min pen appeal, Chelsea home where Targett should have conceded a pen for them to win etc.

But we also got lucky Swansea away, arguably Utd away and Newcastle with the last min pen appeal, Chelsea home where Targett should have conceded a pen for them to win etc.

United away wasn't lucky.

Saggy Chops doesn't think so, f'sure.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/11806435.Redknapp__Saints_will_miss_out_on_Champions_League/?ref=rss

Redknapp earlier said he had been at Saints only yesterday.

 

“I was there yesterday watching the under-8s and under-9s play,” he said.

Is that so he can say, when he's in his 90's, - ''I watched a young xxxzx train and I could tell he was going to be a player. I've always been a fan, he's a top lad f'sure''

Looking at this it's still in our hands, however the way we're playing and the lack of goals is a huge worry, West Ham starting to be cut adrift and Spurs never seem to do particularly well if they play on a Thursday night.

Looking at this it's still in our hands, however the way we're playing and the lack of goals is a huge worry, West Ham starting to be cut adrift and Spurs never seem to do particularly well if they play on a Thursday night.

Loads of twists and turns yet. I think we should just enjoy it before getting too downhearted, what a position and a race for us to be involved in! If we don't make it, so be it, but it's good fun to be playing up there with the big boys...

Nothing to worry about - all the top sides (except Man U) are back in European action in the next few weeks, Man U have a run of top sides coming up, and we have only Chelsea and Man City away and Spurs home of the top 9, with all of the other games against bottom 11 sides.

If we can match our performance against the weaker sides from earlier in the season (preferably improve on it) then we'll get into, and deserve, Europe no matter what happens elsewhere. If we can't win the vast majority of our matches against the bottom half teams, we don't deserve to get into Europe anyway.

We've got goals and chance creation in the side, we just need to have a few more efforts, and for God's sake move the ball to the attacking players more quickly, rather than sideways and backwards all the time.

Nothing to worry about - all the top sides (except Man U) are back in European action in the next few weeks, Man U have a run of top sides coming up, and we have only Chelsea and Man City away and Spurs home of the top 9, with all of the other games against bottom 11 sides.

 

Hang on a minute, we have only 12 games left and if we write off 3 of them that means for sure we need 27 points from the other 9. That just isn't possible is it? Certainly seems unlikely on current form. Most people on here can't handle reality and abuse will surely follow this but 4 seems improbable at best now, we have slipped up when we least needed to; the 8 points that we have let slip away in our last four relatively unchallenging matches has (I contend) sealed our fate for us this season.

Difficult to see it now, 1 point from 3 home games is quasi eliminatory.

Just not been good enough in recent weeks. Massively disappointing after the Arsenal and Man Utd games. On recent form, we will lose more games. The margin for error is too small now, we've overperformed so far, and now we are getting found out. No disaster really, we're just not at the same level as a few of the other sides around us.

I fear we have blown it - very sorry to have to say that but 1 point out of 3 home games means we can't reach the necessary points total.

Felt yesterday was a big chance to start cutting down the number of teams really breathing down our necks. Lack of goals particularly at home recently is killing what should have really been a good points tally. Could well be 7th by end of next weekend which would feel like a big let down until you consider we've only been back in the league 3 seasons! Hopefully we get the breaks against West brom and score a couple to get us back in the groove!

Do you think this looks realistic?

West Brom (A) - W

Crystal Palace (H) - W

Chelsea (A) - L

Burnley (H) - W

Everton (A) - D

Hull (H) - W

Stoke (A) - D

Tottenham (H) - D

Sunderland (A)- D

Leicester (A) - W

Aston Villa (H) - W

Man City (A) - L

6-4-2? Finishing with that record gives us a 51% chance of finishing 4th, according to this website.

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

or how about this? plausible?

West Brom (A) - W

Crystal Palace (H) - W

Chelsea (A) - L

Burnley (H) - W

Everton (A) - D

Hull (H) - W

Stoke (A) - D

Tottenham (H) - D

Sunderland (A)- W

Leicester (A) - W

Aston Villa (H) - W

Man City (A) - L

7-3-2? that gives us a 78% chance of being in 4th place

or how about this?

West Brom (A) - W

Crystal Palace (H) - W

Chelsea (A) - L

Burnley (H) - W

Everton (A) - D

Hull (H) - W

Stoke (A) - D

Tottenham (H) - L

Sunderland (A)- W

Leicester (A) - W

Aston Villa (H) - W

Man City (A) - L

7-2-3? gives us a 64% chance of being in 4th.

I am trying to remain optimistic. We are not in great form right now, but we get everyone back from injury and suspension, all of those results seem plausible, considering our season so far.

OJ

Do you think this looks realistic?

 

West Brom (A) - W

Crystal Palace (H) - W

Chelsea (A) - L

Burnley (H) - W

Everton (A) - D

Hull (H) - W

Stoke (A) - D

Tottenham (H) - D

Sunderland (A)- D

Leicester (A) - W

Aston Villa (H) - W

Man City (A) - L

 

6-4-2? Finishing with that record gives us a 51% chance of finishing 4th, according to this website.

 

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

 

or how about this? plausible?

 

West Brom (A) - W

Crystal Palace (H) - W

Chelsea (A) - L

Burnley (H) - W

Everton (A) - D

Hull (H) - W

Stoke (A) - D

Tottenham (H) - D

Sunderland (A)- W

Leicester (A) - W

Aston Villa (H) - W

Man City (A) - L

 

7-3-2? that gives us a 78% chance of being in 4th place

 

or how about this?

 

West Brom (A) - W

Crystal Palace (H) - W

Chelsea (A) - L

Burnley (H) - W

Everton (A) - D

Hull (H) - W

Stoke (A) - D

Tottenham (H) - L

Sunderland (A)- W

Leicester (A) - W

Aston Villa (H) - W

Man City (A) - L

 

7-2-3? gives us a 64% chance of being in 4th.

 

I am trying to remain optimistic. We are not in great form right now, but we get everyone back from injury and suspension, all of those results seem plausible, considering our season so far.

All are realistic given our season so far, but we need to find the spark that's been missing for the past few weeks and build momentum again. With a fully fit / available squad it's certainly possible, I think we've greatly missed both Toby and Bertrand in terms of the balance and confidence they bring to the side.

I think we realistically need to win the other ten games aside from Chelsea and City away to guarantee it (that'd give us 76 points).

Failing that, winning nine, drawing one and going into the City game needing just one more point (against hopefully a team with nothing to play for) would get us to 75, which I also think would just about do it.

The odd draw here and there however, creditable though they might be against the likes of Spurs and Everton, would entail realistic best-we-can-hope-for tallies of 69, 70, 71 or so, and that just won't be enough I'm afraid. Two of Arsenal, United, Spurs and Liverpool will beat that total.

The West Ham game struck me as the one where we lost it as soon as the final whistle went.

Still, best thing to do is to gamble and go all out to win these next two matches. If we do get six points out of West Brom and Palace then we can at least go into the Chelsea game fairly relaxed and able to enjoy ourselves knowing that we're not reliant on a result and that the following match against Burnley should be one of the easier fixtures.

Beat them and get nine points from the next four matches and we'll have made it to 30 games with ourselves still in contention for a Champions League place and from there, its probably best just take it one game at a time and keep the show on the road.

The challenge will be winning matches knowing that yes, we really do need to win them. Winning at somewhere like Everton isn't necessarily impossible, but winning consistently away against the likes of Everton, Sunderland and Stoke when your hand is completely face-up with your opponents knowing that you have to chase the win is a different kettle of fish altogether, especially if you concede the first goal.

Assuming we lose away to Chelsea and City our maximum points tally is 76. One loss and one draw here or there in the other games and our ceiling drops down to 71 or so. That won't be enough.

Still, maybe, just maybe, it could be us or United to finish 4th on the final day against a City team with nothing on the line.

It obvious we won't do it. I have been saying for ages we won't die to our lack of fire power

Ah well. Matters not

It obvious we won't do it. I have been saying for ages we won't die to our lack of fire power

 

Ah well. Matters not

I like the "we won't die bit"! At least we live to fight on and while there is life their is hope

I like the "we won't die bit"! At least we live to fight on and while there is life their is hope

LOL! Batman is such a feisty one! Love the determination, and no quitter attitude! You can just tell he'd never accept second best! His upbeat personality is so infectious!

Hmm, I think Batman meant, 'we won't dUe to our lack of fire power'.

Hmm, I think Batman meant, 'we won't dUe to our lack of fire power'.

Let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

The answer to the OP.....will become apparent after our games at Stamford Bridge....and Citeh. Losing those 6 points will be crucial to any potential Euro success.

If we are " good enough " to come away from those two games with points in the bag, then we might be OK.....

......otherwise... it's back to the drawing board (sorry )...." The Black Box" to plan next season.

Can see everyone but us and Liverpool winning this weekend....if thats the case it may well be game over...

Man Utd do however still have

Spurs (H)

Liverpool (A)

Man City (H)

Chelsea(A)

Everton(A)

Arsenal (H)