Believe

[SaintRichmond]

With Bristol Rovers losing last night, they are in 6th spot, ELEVEN points ahead of Saints. All teams have all played the same no of matches

 

Rovers are away to MK Dons on Saturday'

 

So, IF Rovers lose again, they would stay on 22 points. The next two are on 21 points, so they can end up on 24 points.

 

If the Saints do the Biz at Orient, we would be only TEN points from 6th spot

 

The DREAM could be getting closer.:cool:

[Didcot Saint]

Please let it happen! Coyr

[Master Bates]

Plus Southend will hopefully move below us pretty soonish.

[Andy_Porter]

Plus Southend will hopefully move below us pretty soonish.

 

Hopefully?

 

Don't think we should be wishing teams go into admin tbh. If we deserve to get into the play offs we will get there without having to rely on other teams getting point deductions.

[landford.saint]

Plus Southend will hopefully move below us pretty soonish.

 

To be perfectly honest with the exception of The Skates and Leeds (again) I would n't wish what we have been through on any supporters.

Good luck Southend hope you stay afloat.

[alpine_saint]

We are slowly reeling the pack back in, but I somehow feel that the table position curve is about to take on an exponential relationship vs. effort, meaning we will make a few leaps and bounds for the next month or so, then its going to be a war of attrition to advance up the table any further.

 

What is essential now, in my opinion, is keeping the momentum of the last month going AND not having the usual Saints Christmas period (lose everything...)

[Fowllyd]

We are slowly reeling the pack back in, but I somehow feel that the table position curve is about to take on an exponential relationship vs. effort, meaning we will make a few leaps and bounds for the next month or so, then its going to be a war of attrition to advance up the table any further.

 

What is essential now, in my opinion, is keeping the momentum of the last month going AND not having the usual Saints Christmas period (lose everything...)

 

That's a valid point - the teams around us at present are losing more than they're drawing or winning, so we'll cruise past them if we maintain our current form. But the higher up the table we get the better the other teams around us will be doing, so we'll need great form to overhaul them - and even then it won't be such a quick process.

 

That said, I really don't think there's likely to be anything in this division to scare us - a touch hubristic perhaps, but having seen the way we brushed MK Dons aside on Saturday I do feel very optimistic indeed.

[Panda]

OK I'll bite!

 

We started the season 10 points off the play-offs, we are currently 11 points away, one point worse despite 14 games played. 30% (nearly a third) of the games have gone and we are in a worse position. At the start of the season we needed to catch up.22 points every game to get us to 6th place, we now need .34 so things are substantially worse.

 

However, whilst our position re the play-offs is currently worse, our form has been much better over the last seven games. We have wiped out the negative points, we are off the bottom, within three weeks we may be out of the relegation places (possibly sooner if poor Southend succumb to the same fate as us), then the target must surely be to get in to the top half of the table. At the moment we are 7 points away from the top half, now that might be achievable by Christmas if we maintain our current form, early in the new year if we slip up a couple of times or other results go against us.

 

Once in the top half then it gets much harder because we are up with the better teams and they have a ten point advantage, that is, over the season, we will need to win three and draw one whilst they lose four and the teams near the top are not unlikely to do that.

 

So, realistically, a top half finish could (should) be expected but the play-offs is a much bigger ask so I will not believe (re OP) until we are within touching distance of it at Easter!

 

Who knows, that why we are football addicts, its never the same on the pitch as it is on paper. It's the oldest football cliché in the world but it is also the truest, take one game at a time.

[Master Bates]

Hopefully?

 

Don't think we should be wishing teams go into admin tbh. If we deserve to get into the play offs we will get there without having to rely on other teams getting point deductions.

 

To be perfectly honest with the exception of The Skates and Leeds (again) I would n't wish what we have been through on any supporters.

Good luck Southend hope you stay afloat.

 

Sorry, guess I can be a bit of a meeny at times :badgrin:

[shurlock]

Regards beating rovers, they've now lost five on the trot. Indeed, their last victory was against us - and that feels an eternity ago. Only Wycombe are experiencing worse form than them. If there was ever a time to play them, it is now.

 

...[insert usual disclaimers about form going out the window in cup games etc].

[Frank's cousin]

NOt worried about being 11 off the playoffs.. we just need to think about ourselves - played 14 - 32 games left thats 96 possible points - If we get 60 of those which with luck effort and form is possible, we would finish on 71 which might be enough? Just got to keep winning!

[Junior Mullet]

Regards beating rovers, they've now lost five on the trot. Indeed, their last victory was against us - and that feels an eternity ago. Only Wycombe are experiencing worse form than them. If there was ever a time to play them, it is now.

 

...[insert usual disclaimers about form going out the window in cup games etc].

 

If the game is televised whose hoodoo will goo?

[RedAndWhite91]

Regards beating rovers, they've now lost five on the trot. Indeed, their last victory was against us - and that feels an eternity ago. Only Wycombe are experiencing worse form than them. If there was ever a time to play them, it is now.

 

...[insert usual disclaimers about form going out the window in cup games etc].

 

Form goes out the window in cup games...

 

In all fairness these calculations are very exciting, there is absolutely no reason now why we can't reach the playoffs. If we continue the form we are in at the moment, there's no reason we can't go up automatically!

[Frank's cousin]

Form goes out the window in cup games...

 

In all fairness these calculations are very exciting, there is absolutely no reason now why we can't reach the playoffs. If we continue the form we are in at the moment, there's no reason we can't go up automatically!

 

Sure we win 28 of the last 36 games and we would end on 95 points which would see us promoted I reckon ;-)

[Legod Third Coming]

There is only one objective. Win the next game.

 

That is all.

[SO16_Saint]

Sure we win 28 of the last 36 games and we would end on 95 points which would see us promoted I reckon ;-)

 

i would go f*cking mental if we won 28/36.

 

dont think weve won 28 matches in the last 5 seasons put together?!?

[Colinjb]

Plus Southend will hopefully move below us pretty soonish.

 

'Hopefully' is the wrong way to put it. But I understand the sentiment.

[krissyboy31]

There is only one objective. Win the next game.

 

That is all.

 

I agree with the first sentence but not the second. That should have read "And then the next one" and so on!

[Legod Third Coming]

Sure we win 28 of the last 36 games and we would end on 95 points which would see us promoted I reckon ;-)

 

Why budget/plan to not win 8 games??

 

Win them all - that must be the aim. We are the Chelsea of this league - we must start to think about winning EVERY game.

 

We have lost three already, that's enough for one season.

[Legod Third Coming]

I agree with the first sentence but not the second. That should have read "And then the next one" and so on!

 

That is tautology. One objective is required all season: Win the next game.

[david in sweden]

With Bristol Rovers losing last night, they are in 6th spot, ELEVEN points ahead of Saints. All teams have all played the same no of matches

 

Rovers are away to MK Dons on Saturday'

So, IF Rovers lose again, they would stay on 22 points. The next two are on 21 points, so they can end up on 24 points.

If the Saints do the Biz at Orient, we would be only TEN points from 6th spot

The DREAM could be getting closer.:cool:

 

 

Looking at the facts, we and Rovers are about the same level.

Our home game was 2-2 at 90 mins. and they got the late goal for the points.

 

Because of the -10, we have only 11 points, but our playing record is "worth " 21 ---only 1 point behind Rovers.

Our present side is infinitely better than last seasons and so I fully expect this to be a "win-able " game and look forward to a Prem.side when we get to the 3rd round.

 

COYR !!!!! ... or as it's the Cup.... blue / gold

[hutch]

Plus Southend will hopefully move below us pretty soonish.

And if they do, we'll still be the same number of points off 6th.

[Andy_Porter]

We will be fine for the play offs as long as we keep beating the ****. If we start slipping up against any team in the bottom half from now on we won't make the play offs.

 

Will be interesting to see if we can grind out the gritty 1-0 wins when we play badly, all good teams do it and we will have to do the same if we want to have any chance of promotion.

 

If we keep up our current form I certainly believe promotion is within our reach.

[hutch]

Sure we win 28 of the last 36 games and we would end on 95 points which would see us promoted I reckon ;-)

If they let us play another 36 games, that would give us a much better chance, in my opinion.

 

Everybody else is only playing another 32

[shurlock]

Looking at the facts, we and Rovers are about the same level.

Our home game was 2-2 at 90 mins. and they got the late goal for the points.

 

Because of the -10, we have only 11 points, but our playing record is "worth " 21 ---only 1 point behind Rovers.

Our present side is infinitely better than last seasons and so I fully expect this to be a "win-able " game and look forward to a Prem.side when we get to the 3rd round.

 

COYR !!!!! ... or as it's the Cup.... blue / gold

 

Not necessarily. As you well know;) we only took five points from our first seven games, and lost two of our first three. The improvement is not simply a matter of form- though we've won our last four and they've lost their last four. Rather it boils down to the fact that we have a completely different team from the start of the season and just as importantly that it has had an opportunity to gel together.

 

In other words, this is more than a temporary blip, a run of confidence that surfaces over the cracks of our early performances and that can be exposed at any moment. While we're stuck with our poor start, it would be wrong to analyse our current prospects and the strength of the team in light of it.

[Arizona]

Southend's plight is somewhat irrelevant. If we're going to get ahead of the likes of Huddersfield and Brizzle to get a playoff stop, we're going to have to overtake the lower midtable clubs in the process.

 

Put simply - If we make it into the playoffs this season, we will be ahead of Saaaaafend, -10 or no -10.

[Frank's cousin]

If they let us play another 36 games, that would give us a much better chance, in my opinion.

 

Everybody else is only playing another 32

 

Indeed bt the figures were right ;-)

[Thedelldays]

Isn't it unrealistic to hope for anything other than survival this season?

[Frank's cousin]

Isn't it unrealistic to hope for anything other than survival this season?

 

Football's for dreamers though ;-)

[merrimd]

Isn't it unrealistic to hope for anything other than survival this season?

 

Its the difference between hope and expectation. At the start of the season, I would have said that it was unrealistic to EXPECT anything other than survival. We all HOPED for more.

 

Circumstances have now changed, dramatically, so my expectation has increased, but my hope is the same, Play offs.

 

If we were to play Man U next week, I would HOPE to beat them, but I would EXPECT to lose.

[SNSUN]

Irrelevant of other results, bar one of the 14 point teams losing, and beat Orient and we'll be out of the zone. Another major lift in an already confident team.

[david in sweden]

Not necessarily. As you well know;) we only took five points from our first seven games, and lost two of our first three. The improvement is not simply a matter of form- though we've won our last four and they've lost their last four. Rather it boils down to the fact that we have a completely different team from the start of the season and just as importantly that it has had an opportunity to gel together.

 

In other words, this is more than a temporary blip, a run of confidence that surfaces over the cracks of our early performances and that can be exposed at any moment. While we're stuck with our poor start, it would be wrong to analyse our current prospects and the strength of the team in light of it.

 

We had to turn the corner sometime and I wrote a thread a few days backabout the stats from the first 14 games.

Since the arrival of Jaidi and Papa weigo and the permanent pairing of Lallana with Lambert the second 7 games have been much better.

[NickG]

OK I'll bite!

 

We started the season 10 points off the play-offs, we are currently 11 points away, one point worse despite 14 games played. 30% (nearly a third) of the games have gone and we are in a worse position. At the start of the season we needed to catch up.22 points every game to get us to 6th place, we now need .34 so things are substantially worse.

 

However, whilst our position re the play-offs is currently worse, our form has been much better over the last seven games. We have wiped out the negative points, we are off the bottom, within three weeks we may be out of the relegation places (possibly sooner if poor Southend succumb to the same fate as us), then the target must surely be to get in to the top half of the table. At the moment we are 7 points away from the top half, now that might be achievable by Christmas if we maintain our current form, early in the new year if we slip up a couple of times or other results go against us.

 

Once in the top half then it gets much harder because we are up with the better teams and they have a ten point advantage, that is, over the season, we will need to win three and draw one whilst they lose four and the teams near the top are not unlikely to do that.

 

So, realistically, a top half finish could (should) be expected but the play-offs is a much bigger ask so I will not believe (re OP) until we are within touching distance of it at Easter!

 

Who knows, that why we are football addicts, its never the same on the pitch as it is on paper. It's the oldest football cliché in the world but it is also the truest, take one game at a time.

 

won't believe what?

 

that we will be in play offs?

that we could be?

that we probably will be?

that we have a good chance of?

[teamsaint]

what we do have coming up is a long run of really winnable games. Norwich at home will be tough, but if we stay injury free there is every chance of a really productive 7 or 8 games.

[paulwantsapint]

Making the promotion spots is going to be a marathon not a sprint it is better to mount our charge to promotion end of season than be top 6 now then collapse

[NickG]

even better to win all of our games and have it in the bag!

[tonibell]

To be perfectly honest with the exception of The Skates and Leeds (again) I would n't wish what we have been through on any supporters.

Good luck Southend hope you stay afloat.

 

We should make a move for Lee Barnard (think he's scored 10 league goals) Get him for about half a million...

[forever a red and white]

i really think we need to keep our feet on the ground.

 

One loss and suddenly things look different. the fans, the players and the staff should focus on one game at a time and completing small targets e.g. getting out of r zone. This is not unambitious but careful and considerate planning.

 

Tbh after saturdays game i think that had we been playing championship opposition we would have been punished. Yes we have improved and yes we have the funds to improve but as pardew said we are not the finished article

 

 

so lets enjoy the wins and postivie results but remain patient and not get over excited because we have seen the affects of irrational thinknig

[spyinthesky]

Just looking at our Cup Final season.

 

We went 16 games from 6th December 1975 (when we whacked champions elect Sunderland 4-0) to Feb 28th 1976 when we lost 2-1 (in front of 3,777)at York who were eventually relegated with that other team from East hants.

 

Just goes to show that even a team brimming with confidence and on a good run can slip up.

[Saint~Claire]

whilst keeping our feet on the ground of course!! and seeing how we do in between!! can't help but feel optomistic at the moment and glancing at our end of the season fixtures and the opportunity we have to take points off our 'potential' promotion rivals with playing Leeds, MK Dons, Charlton,Bristol Rovers to play in March and Norwich in Feb IF we are in the mix at that point we have the opportunity to take points off our play off rivals.. long way to go and one game at a time but hope and the opportunity is there

[Ruffo]

To be perfectly honest with the exception of The Skates and Leeds (again) I would n't wish what we have been through on any supporters.

Good luck Southend hope you stay afloat.

 

Even the top 4 clubs? I wouldn't shed a tear if Man U went out of business.

[RonManager]

Even the top 4 clubs? I wouldn't shed a tear if Man U went out of business.

 

The ultimate irony would be that if they ever did, FC United of Manchester buying Old Trafford from them!!

[the saint in winchester]

With Bristol Rovers losing last night, they are in 6th spot, ELEVEN points ahead of Saints. All teams have all played the same no of matches

 

Rovers are away to MK Dons on Saturday'

 

So, IF Rovers lose again, they would stay on 22 points. The next two are on 21 points, so they can end up on 24 points.

 

If the Saints do the Biz at Orient, we would be only TEN points from 6th spot

 

The DREAM could be getting closer.:cool:

 

This is real positive thinking, Richie. But .... as someone once said ... if my Auntie had balls, she'd be my Uncle! Let's see how things pan out. Nothing is impossible, nothing ... except my Auntie becoming my uncle ... mind you, even then ... oh don't want to think about that ...! :-)

[opthomps]

The ultimate irony would be that if they ever did, FC United of Manchester buying Old Trafford from them!!

 

That would be perfect. Ferguson lately has been worse than ever. If Manutd were to go out of business I would shed tears of joy, and with Liebher at the helm maybe we could fill their shoes.

 

I am hoping that Ferguson has an invite to Barrymore's next pool party to be honest. That or just retire please.

[Saint Fan CaM]

i really think we need to keep our feet on the ground.

 

One loss and suddenly things look different. the fans, the players and the staff should focus on one game at a time and completing small targets e.g. getting out of r zone. This is not unambitious but careful and considerate planning.

 

Tbh after saturdays game i think that had we been playing championship opposition we would have been punished. Yes we have improved and yes we have the funds to improve but as pardew said we are not the finished article

 

 

so lets enjoy the wins and postivie results but remain patient and not get over excited because we have seen the affects of irrational thinknig

 

 

Very sensible post. There's a lot of football to be played yet and like the CCC any team can beat any other team. Not only that, but let's face it we're not out of the relegation zone yet - one or two loses and all of a sudden we might look in danger again VERY quickly. Be happy we're looking better and safer now, but let's not get carried away until we're at least mid-table.

[It's There]

The difference now, CAM, is that I believe we have a strong team, and that if we lose it will merely be a blip, whereas before September I would have expected us to carry on losing. We won't get relegated, so tha next target has to be the Playoffs...one game at a time mind you!

[Brussels Saint]

I'm hopeful rather than confident we will make the payoffs.

 

If we are 6/7 points from 6th place come Jan 1st, I'll be getting confident rather than hopeful.

[Legod Third Coming]

Our only enemy is complacency. Both on the pitch and in the stands.

 

Guard against it.

[Saint_Jonny]

I know now that we will survive very comfortably and get a nice mid table finish, but I think play offs are a pipe dream, we are GOING to have a losing stream sooner or later so I think its going over the top a bit to think that we will get up to sixth place, level head people!

[Crab Lungs]

With a bit of luck, everyone will have their results annulled until Southampton catch up