Clicking into gear

[Dr Who?]

Just been looking at are start to the season compared to now, and I am pretty impressed with how things are going. OK so we are not setting the league alight, apart from against Tranmere which I did not see.

 

But the first 7 games produced 5 points, scored 5 goals (4 in one game) and conceeded 7.

 

But in the last 6 games we produced 13 points, scored 8 conceeded 4.

 

If only we could have started like we are gaining points now. I still think there is better to come and that we should be scoring more goals.

 

I still think we can get a top 2 finish. Win at County and beat Daggers and we will be right up there.

[It's There]

How do we compare to this time last season? Are we more than 10 points further ahead? I guess we must be...but it could be hard to replicate the storming finish to the last half of the season. Mind you, this league is going to be a lot closer and no team, including Brighton, will run away with it. I predict we'll be in the top 6 by Christmas, but not secure in top 3 til March.

[MarkSFC]

After 11 games we had 15 points. On another thread I stated that there are 5 groups of 7 matches remaining and of we averaged 15 points per 7 we would end up on 90 points. This is probably enough to win the league unless Brighton somehow continue their form all season

Over the last 7 games we have amassed 14 points so preety much on track. The team will get better and after this group of 7 games we will have played 18 games and played all the high flyers (Brighton,PBoro,Bmouth,Hudd,Carlisle,SheffWed) so although there may be one or two draws I expect us to be sitting on 29 points (wins over NC, D&R, Car and draws with Brighton and Pboro). That would equate to winning 14 points in 7 games including 4 of the top teams. A win over either PBoro or Brighton will be a massive bonus.

[toofarnorth]

We have 8 games before christmas and with only 4 points to make up to 2nd place I would expect us to be in the top two on the 25th of December. Not saying that it's sack the manager time if we're not, but it's certainly not an overly ambitious aim.

[doddisalegend]

After 11 games we had 15 points. On another thread I stated that there are 5 groups of 7 matches remaining and of we averaged 15 points per 7 we would end up on 90 points. This is probably enough to win the league unless Brighton somehow continue their form all season

Over the last 7 games we have amassed 14 points so preety much on track. The team will get better and after this group of 7 games we will have played 18 games and played all the high flyers (Brighton,PBoro,Bmouth,Hudd,Carlisle,SheffWed) so although there may be one or two draws I expect us to be sitting on 29 points (wins over NC, D&R, Car and draws with Brighton and Pboro). That would equate to winning 14 points in 7 games including 4 of the top teams. A win over either PBoro or Brighton will be a massive bonus.

 

Except football isn't that neat and tidy freak results happen in all the time. I'd be more confident if our strikers where scoring more. Defence looks solid enough, midfield is still hit and miss but our strikers are in poor form (by last years standards). We are grinding out results without looking that comfortable IMO (of course that is good in it's own way good teams win playing badly and all that) it just feels to me that our current form could collapse quite easily with a couple of defeats.

[MarkSFC]

it just feels to me that our current form could collapse quite easily with a couple of defeats.

 

That's a fair point and I can see why you think that but these players are used to winning and you don't win consistantly without the right mindset etc. An individual or team that has won consistantly but is out of form gets back into form quicker than those who peak far less often. This group will have been boosted massively psychologically after Saturday and I expect 3 "fairly" comfortable win before the bigger two.

 

Should they lose any of the next three then I'll take it all back!!

[jasonb]

For as long as I can remember Saints have started the season poorly (I'm thinking late 80's - mid 90's when I used to go regularly in particular). However, often through necessity, we usually produce championship-winning form in the new year. I think on a few occasions in the 90'ss we finished in the top five of the form league after Christmas to avoid the drop.

 

I'm more than hopeful this trend will continue especially as we start to get a sniff of the playoffs/auto positions.

 

It sounds flippant to say this but this is the way Saints do things - it's the way it's always been - i.e. never make it easy for ourselves.