Whitey Grandad Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Well they've certainly found the magic formula for this league. I went to Dean Court last Saturday to try and see what it is about these teams that gets them all the points. The style of play was completely different from ours. The ball was played out smartly from the back and the whole pace of the game was noticeably quicker. There was very little hoofball and neither side seemed to try to play posession football. I think our style is more suited to the Championship, whenever we get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 I know it's all part of this Alpine caricature you've created and not in any way real, but even so, that's ground breaking stupidity. Playoffs is the best we can expect? For the 100th time I'm going to spell it out just to know that I tried, like a stubborn zookeeper teaching a monkey to talk. We're very close to automatic promotion, we've been second very recently, have a game in hand and a hell of a lot more games to go. At this point, why is playoffs the best we can hope for? Just forget all the hatred, the Alpine show and think clearly, just for a second. Is it working? A little? Take a sip of water, concentrate, and try again. We're talking about now. This isn't an opportunity for you to pray we only make the playoffs and then make 17 threads saying look at me the Alpine show was correct again. I know this point gets lost on you time and again, but you're already wrong. Whether we finish 1st or 7th, saying playoffs is the best we can hope for in January when in a good league position with a good squad is factually wrong, extremely negative to the point of being a wind up, and possibly delusional. Promotion hopes hanging by a thread? I wish you were hanging by a thread. A complete and total abusive overreaction from you to a mild expression of opinion. I suggest you heed a little of your own advice.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Of course, if Brighton turn over Watford on Saturday then their cup run will seriously derail their promotion campaign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 No, we wont catch Brighton, and looking at the teams around us, I reckon we have an insurmountable challenge to get into 2nd and hold on to it. Playoffs is the best we can expect, sadly.. I know I should ignore but...(and will bite my tongue for any non-football personal response!) We are two points behind the team in 2nd. We have a better goal difference than all bar Brighton in top 6. Our current form is better than any of the other teams after the 2nd spot. We have the biggest quality squad of any other contender for 2nd spot and so should be best prepared for 2nd half of the season. There are 21 games for us left. We have gained on all of those teams ever since Adkins came into the club. Our results over the last month: Won 5 games Drawn 1 Lost 1 goals scored 19 goals, goals conceded 4. Why would anyone say that we face an insurmountable challenge to get into 2nd? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 I reckon we have an insurmountable challenge to get into 2nd and hold on to it. If we were bottom right now it would probably be an insurmountable challenge, but we are just a couple of points behind so I'm not sure that is true. "With the injuries and potential loss of Puncheon and AOC it will be a very tough challenge" might be more appropriate, but I don't wabnt to put words into your mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baj Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 I know it's all part of this Alpine caricature you've created and not in any way real, but even so, that's ground breaking stupidity. Playoffs is the best we can expect? For the 100th time I'm going to spell it out just to know that I tried, like a stubborn zookeeper teaching a monkey to talk. We're very close to automatic promotion, we've been second very recently, have a game in hand and a hell of a lot more games to go. At this point, why is playoffs the best we can hope for? Just forget all the hatred, the Alpine show and think clearly, just for a second. Is it working? A little? Take a sip of water, concentrate, and try again. We're talking about now. This isn't an opportunity for you to pray we only make the playoffs and then make 17 threads saying look at me the Alpine show was correct again. I know this point gets lost on you time and again, but you're already wrong. Whether we finish 1st or 7th, saying playoffs is the best we can hope for in January when in a good league position with a good squad is factually wrong, extremely negative to the point of being a wind up, and possibly delusional. Promotion hopes hanging by a thread? I wish you were hanging by a thread. Adrian, take a ****ing chill pill. If anyone else had written that you wouldn't have reacted that way, and as it happens I agree, I think playoffs are the best we can hope for given the situation we are in now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 I would bet that any other teams supporters, pundits and club staff would be amazed to think that anyone following league 1, let alone saints would think all we should do is hope for play offs at best????? Bizarre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Adrian, take a ****ing chill pill. If anyone else had written that you wouldn't have reacted that way, and as it happens I agree, I think playoffs are the best we can hope for given the situation we are in now. Sticky please... I'm fairly confident that we should finish at worst second. Pending half the team being unavailable at any one time for a while, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Marco Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 I know I should ignore but...(and will bite my tongue for any non-football personal response!) We are two points behind the team in 2nd. We have a better goal difference than all bar Brighton in top 6. Our current form is better than any of the other teams after the 2nd spot. We have the biggest quality squad of any other contender for 2nd spot and so should be best prepared for 2nd half of the season. There are 21 games for us left. We have gained on all of those teams ever since Adkins came into the club. Our results over the last month: Won 5 games Drawn 1 Lost 1 goals scored 19 goals, goals conceded 4. Why would anyone say that we face an insurmountable challenge to get into 2nd? But the problem is as'well as we have done over the past 8 games it still would not be good enough to get into the top 2 spots. http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/oform.html Brighton and us are level based on ppg over the last 8. And Bounemouth are 0.12 ppg worse off then us based on that period. Which means if we stay at our current rate and so does everyone else Brighton and Bournemouth go up. Now i don't mean to put a downer on it as we have played well over that period. We have shown we can play well. But as good as it is, it needs to get better. We need top 2 form not 3rd. And because of that i don't think it is all that amazing. I think you spin it in a way that implies it is better then it really is. For example for the month of january we sit 7th in results http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/january.html In fact if you go through each months results you see January = 7th December = 9th November = 5th October = 2nd September = 19th August = 14th As you can see looking at it like that it shows only one month we have been top 2 form over a whole month and that was October. Now as i said i don't mean to put a downer on it as we still have plenty of time to go. But for every win against someone like Oldham there seems to be a defeat against someone like Tranmere. We had those results last year. Remember last year we thumped some teams? Bristol Rovers 1-5 away when they were a good team. That is far more impressive then beating Oldham 6-0 imo. We also beat Huddersfield 5-0 and someone else 5-1 if i remember right. But as good as those results were again we would then draw or lose against someone like Tranmere. That is our problem. Over the course of this season it is the same thing as last season. We win the big game only to then lose the game we should win more comfortably. It is a stop start pattern and you won't go up with that, not in the top 2 anyway. So yes there are positives. But we need to improve, it is as simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Sticky please... I'm fairly confident that we should finish at worst second. Pending half the team being unavailable at any one time for a while, of course. But that is the point. At the moment, that "pending" looks more like "probably" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 But that is the point. At the moment, that "pending" looks more like "probably" Time to get the razor blades out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 But the problem is as'well as we have done over the past 8 games it still would not be good enough to get into the top 2 spots. http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/oform.html Brighton and us are level based on ppg over the last 8. And Bounemouth are 0.12 ppg worse off then us based on that period. Which means if we stay at our current rate and so does everyone else Brighton and Bournemouth go up. Now i don't mean to put a downer on it as we have played well over that period. We have shown we can play well. But as good as it is, it needs to get better. We need top 2 form not 3rd. And because of that i don't think it is all that amazing. I think you spin it in a way that implies it is better then it really is. For example for the month of january we sit 7th in results http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/january.html In fact if you go through each months results you see January = 7th December = 9th November = 5th October = 2nd September = 19th August = 14th As you can see looking at it like that it shows only one month we have been top 2 form over a whole month and that was October. Now as i said i don't mean to put a downer on it as we still have plenty of time to go. But for every win against someone like Oldham there seems to be a defeat against someone like Tranmere. We had those results last year. Remember last year we thumped some teams? Bristol Rovers 1-5 away when they were a good team. That is far more impressive then beating Oldham 6-0 imo. We also beat Huddersfield 5-0 and someone else 5-1 if i remember right. But as good as those results were again we would then draw or lose against someone like Tranmere. That is our problem. Over the course of this season it is the same thing as last season. We win the big game only to then lose the game we should win more comfortably. It is a stop start pattern and you won't go up with that, not in the top 2 anyway. So yes there are positives. But we need to improve, it is as simple as that. Very good post. My guts feeling is we will simply be incapable of putting the string of consistent results together need to get above the pack and stay there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Time to get the razor blades out. Oh, yawn...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Oh, yawn...... So in your mind, how is it probable that half the team will be unavailable at any one time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_Ash Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 We can catch Brighton, we can win 5 in a row and they can lose 5 in a row. Not very likely but it can happen. I personally want promotion from this league more than anything, if Brighton beat all the teams around us and we quietly win our games and strengthen 2nd place but stay 5-10 points behind Bright I wouldn't mind in the slightest. Being Champions would just be an extra bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpturner Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 We also beat Huddersfield 5-0 Nope ...and someone else 5-1 Nope BTW, we play at St Mary's and our home kit is white with a red sash. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Lets just have a look to see how many points the leaders were on LAST season at this point : 1 Leeds United 25 17 6 2 30 57 2 Norwich City 26 16 6 4 31 54 3 Charlton Athletic 25 14 9 2 20 51 Makes Brighton's measly 49 from 25 games look feeble doesn't it ? And we're holding them up to be some model of consistency ? Norwich won the league despite having lost NINE matches last season. Their record, split into 5 match spells for ease of reading was LDLWW DLDDW WWLWW WDWWW DWWWW ( WWWWL WLWWW WDWLW DLWWW L Norwich's form after January shows them losing 5 times, drawing twice and never winning more than 4 on the bounce. They also had spells in which they went "LWL" "DWL" and "WDL" and they STILL won the league by NINE POINTS from being 3 behind. The difference between last season and this was there was a big gap between the top sides and the rest (Saints were 7 points off the playoffs despite being only 1 place short) - this season things are more even, so a side who puts in the sort of form we've been in over the last 2 months should find themselves puling clear of the pack nicely, even if Brighton also keep up their good run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Marco Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Nope Nope BTW, we play at St Mary's and our home kit is white with a red sash. HTH Huddersfield 5-0 http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10280~47939,00.html Bristol rovers 1-5 http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10280~48977,00.html and the other team i couldn't remember was Wallsall - 5-1 http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10280~47431,00.html Don't you just love it when a guy tries to be smug and falls flat on their face? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 No, we wont catch Brighton, and looking at the teams around us, I reckon we have an insurmountable challenge to get into 2nd and hold on to it. Playoffs is the best we can expect, sadly.. I know I should ignore but...(and will bite my tongue for any non-football personal response!) We are two points behind the team in 2nd. We have a better goal difference than all bar Brighton in top 6. Our current form is better than any of the other teams after the 2nd spot. We have the biggest quality squad of any other contender for 2nd spot and so should be best prepared for 2nd half of the season. There are 21 games for us left. We have gained on all of those teams ever since Adkins came into the club. Our results over the last month: Won 5 games Drawn 1 Lost 1 goals scored 19 goals, goals conceded 4. Why would anyone say that we face an insurmountable challenge to get into 2nd? But that is the point. At the moment, that "pending" looks more like "probably" Go on Alps my cheery friend, humour and explain why 2nd is insurmountable against my opposing view? Also why is it probable half the team are out for the 2nd half of season? I think apart from Holmes full squad are in training? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpturner Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 (edited) Huddersfield 5-0 http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10280~47939,00.html Bristol rovers 1-5 http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10280~48977,00.html and the other team i couldn't remember was Wallsall - 5-1 http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10280~47431,00.html Don't you just love it when a guy tries to be smug and falls flat on their face? What is the possible point in using results from LAST season when discussing a thread about whether or not we will catch Brighton this season!!!! You talk of beating Oldham 6-0 (this season) and in the same breath include other results from last season to illustrate your point! Why don't you also include the 6-0 win against Wolves and the 6-2 win away against Carlisle about 20 years ago to also illustrate your point? Now, if you had said "We also beat Huddersfield 4-1 and Posh 4-1..... but as good as those results were again we would then draw or lose against someone like Tranmere." then it would be relevant. Edited 26 January, 2011 by kpturner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Marco Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 What is the possible point in using results from LAST season when discussing a thread about whether or not we will catch Brighton this season!!!! You talk of beating Oldham 6-0 (this season) and in the same breath include other results from last season to illustrate your point! Why don't you also include the 6-0 win against Wolves and the 6-2 win away against Carlisle about 20 years ago to also illustrate your point? Now, if you had said "We also beat Huddersfield 4-1 and Posh 4-1..... but as good as those results were again we would then draw or lose against someone like Tranmere." then it would be relevant. I guess you didn't read what i said. I used last years good results to show that when we beat a team badly we then go on to lose. A great result followed by poor result. This was the pattern of last year. And it seems to be the same pattern again this year. Nothing has changed, the only consistent thing is the inconsistency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasper57saint Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Where? Brighton! Isn't that the place where they print a little 'caveat' on the bottom of the away supporters tickets which says "If you want to see the game please provide your own binoculars?" We WILL overtake them. I've seen all of the Div 1 teams now and as long as we play football ON THE DECK we will overtake them all. I am an optimist right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Very impressive, St Marco, but don't forget that we still have to play Brighton and Bournemouth away. We can't all win these games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Don't you just love it when a guy tries to be smug and falls flat on their face? Still waiting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 But the problem is as'well as we have done over the past 8 games it still would not be good enough to get into the top 2 spots. http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/oform.html Brighton and us are level based on ppg over the last 8. And Bounemouth are 0.12 ppg worse off then us based on that period. Which means if we stay at our current rate and so does everyone else Brighton and Bournemouth go up. Now i don't mean to put a downer on it as we have played well over that period. We have shown we can play well. But as good as it is, it needs to get better. We need top 2 form not 3rd. And because of that i don't think it is all that amazing. I think you spin it in a way that implies it is better then it really is. For example for the month of january we sit 7th in results http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/january.html In fact if you go through each months results you see January = 7th December = 9th November = 5th October = 2nd September = 19th August = 14th As you can see looking at it like that it shows only one month we have been top 2 form over a whole month and that was October. Now as i said i don't mean to put a downer on it as we still have plenty of time to go. But for every win against someone like Oldham there seems to be a defeat against someone like Tranmere. We had those results last year. Remember last year we thumped some teams? Bristol Rovers 1-5 away when they were a good team. That is far more impressive then beating Oldham 6-0 imo. We also beat Huddersfield 5-0 and someone else 5-1 if i remember right. But as good as those results were again we would then draw or lose against someone like Tranmere. That is our problem. Over the course of this season it is the same thing as last season. We win the big game only to then lose the game we should win more comfortably. It is a stop start pattern and you won't go up with that, not in the top 2 anyway. So yes there are positives. But we need to improve, it is as simple as that. What the f*ck does it matter where we are over a month? It's where you are over 9 months that matters. Show me any team in the country (with the possible exception of the unbeaten Man Utd) whose form has been top 2 every month this season. Bet you cant. At the moment we are 4th with a game in hand which if we win will put us in second. thats all that matter, not what our form was for the month of October, September or August. Notts County are top two in the form league yet are 18th in the league, do you think they'd swap places with us for our league positon and form, even though they'd have to settle for slightly worse January form? you bet your life they f*cking would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Marco Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 What the f*ck does it matter where we are over a month? It's where you are over 9 months that matters. Show me any team in the country (with the possible exception of the unbeaten Man Utd) whose form has been top 2 every month this season. Bet you cant. At the moment we are 4th with a game in hand which if we win will put us in second. thats all that matter, not what our form was for the month of October, September or August. Notts County are top two in the form league yet are 18th in the league, do you think they'd swap places with us for our league positon and form, even though they'd have to settle for slightly worse January form? you bet your life they f*cking would. The point i was trying to show is that he was using a small bracket of games to proove we are good and our results have been great. I was simply showing a different group of games put in a different bracket grouped up as months. That is why they are there to see how each team does in comparison with each other over the course of a month. You don't need to be 1st every month. You just need to be consistent with the games you have. If you have say 5 games a month and you win 3 of them each time and lose the other 2 i think that shows a level of inconsistency. But if those results still generate more points on average then others competing for the top spots then it doesn't matter. Naturally the end of each month is a time people normally compare stats. That is when they hand out the monthly awards. It will obviously be difficult to stay 1st, 2nd or 3rd every month, that is almost impossible. But you can tell how a club is doing based on them. Like you said not to include United. That is because we know they are winning the league and will probably win it. But if you look at the other leagues the same pattern is there. QPR are in the top 2 on 3 of the 5 full months. And Brighton are in the top 3 on 3 of the 5 months. And Chesterfield have been in the top 2 in 3 of the months. Which does go to show it has a connection to league standings as those teams are all winning their respective leagues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eelpie Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Lots of aways to come, we'll have a much better idea of potential by mid-March. It is that we have three more aways, and they're mostly midweekers, to play than home games that will be the decider. If we travel better than last time we should just scrape 2nd. I'm expecting a revived Charlton to be our main competitor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 It is that we have three more aways, and they're mostly midweekers, to play than home games that will be the decider. If we travel better than last time we should just scrape 2nd. I'm expecting a revived Charlton to be our main competitor Fortunately for us they've just signed BWP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabrone Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Just to remind those of you who think that we can't possibly catch Brighton between 13th Nov and the end of Dec their results were: Hartlepool 3 - Brighton 1 Brighton 2 - Bristol Rovers 2 Saints 0 - Brighton 0 Huddersfield 2 - Brighton 1 Brighton 1 - Charlton 1 That's 3 points in 5 games. If they have a similar run again they will be caught. I'm much more concerned with our players who 'gave up' on 3 points last Saturday. They must be strong from now on and fight for every point, not limply wimp out when they come up against another set of players who are up for it. Can they do it, do they have the balls? Well we'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
south Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 Of course, if Brighton turn over Watford on Saturday then their cup run will seriously derail their promotion campaign. Did happen to Brighton in 83. Probably took their eye off the league when they got to the cup final ? However, statistically teams playing well tend to play well in whatever competition they are playing in. There is the odd example of that not happening (Leeds), but generally speaking teams who lose a cup competition tend to lose their next league game and vice versa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 Adrian, take a ****ing chill pill. If anyone else had written that you wouldn't have reacted that way, and as it happens I agree, I think playoffs are the best we can hope for given the situation we are in now. What situation is that? Are you mental considering we are two points off automatic with a game in hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Give it to Ron Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 Bad news for Huddersfield as I just read on SSN that Jordan Rhodes is out for 8 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 TO put this into context, when we (BHA) went top in September, we were 9 points clear of 18th placed Southampton. Today, we are 8 points clear of 4th placed Southampton, which shows that a) your form has picked up to be promotion form but b) not enough to overhaul us, as you have earned one point more than us over that four month period, having played one more home game than us. Southampton remain my favourites for second place, as Albion would have to suffer a horrendous loss of form to lose it from here. And all those discounting Bournemouth should really take another look. Dean Court remains an absolute fortress, they rarely play really badly, and they've taken 4 points off Brighton this season and there won't be many who manage that. Reasonable post. Far more balanced than a saints "fan" who already stated its impossible to get into top two! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eelpie Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 Fortunately for us they've just signed BWP. Top scorer in league 1. How does that help us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 to be honest..I would be delighted with 2nd place......only for the reason of automatic promotion..winning the league would be an added bonus but not essential...and would be great for the region if saints and brighton went up..... secretly, I would like the cherries to go up in the playoffs...although, I can see them struggling to remain in top 6 come easter.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 No, we wont catch Brighton, and looking at the teams around us, I reckon we have an insurmountable challenge to get into 2nd and hold on to it. Playoffs is the best we can expect, sadly.. TO put this into context, when we (BHA) went top in September, we were 9 points clear of 18th placed Southampton. Today, we are 8 points clear of 4th placed Southampton, which shows that a) your form has picked up to be promotion form but b) not enough to overhaul us, as you have earned one point more than us over that four month period, having played one more home game than us. Southampton remain my favourites for second place, as Albion would have to suffer a horrendous loss of form to lose it from here. And all those discounting Bournemouth should really take another look. Dean Court remains an absolute fortress, they rarely play really badly, and they've taken 4 points off Brighton this season and there won't be many who manage that. But that is the point. At the moment, that "pending" looks more like "probably" Go on Alps my cheery friend, humour and explain why 2nd is insurmountable against my opposing view? Also why is it probable half the team are out for the 2nd half of season? I think apart from Holmes full squad are in training? how can alps use optimist as an insult!! Seems opposing fan is more positive, you haven't answered why, contrary to Adkins comments you feel it us probable more than pending that players are out for most of the season - and why 2nd should be given up on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 (edited) Alpine expresses an opinion Nick G, just as your rose tinted views are opinion. The fact is that anything can happen. People can believe what they like, just as you can. My opinion is that on the current evidence it looks unlikely that Saints can overtake Brighton. Reasons for that are (1) Brighton have a better home record (unbeaten) against Saints' 3 home defeats, (2) Saints have played an extra home game compared to Brighton who have played an extra away game, (3) Brighton are still 8 points ahead of Saints, same gap as back in November, and (4) the draw and defeat in the last two games showed that the team was not as reliable as it had appeared over Christmas. Changes in the squad could change things but we have no guarantee as yet that the team will be stronger in Feb than it was in Jan, and there remains a possibility that it could be weaker. As for who might come second, it looks at the moment as if it could be any of 4 or 5 teams, so saints still have more work to do. Edited 27 January, 2011 by Professor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 you have been decent enough to explain your opinion, as others do - not just been arrogant and say you are the only one and any one who disagrees is full of bullsh1t (including our manager) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 27 January, 2011 Share Posted 27 January, 2011 I also think winning is unlikely however I do not feel 2nd is impossible as alwhine does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 If we're gonna win the league, we need to be in a position where beating them at the Withdean would put us at least 3 points ahead of them IMO. However, I don't think it'll happen - and will be very happy if we get second place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verlaine1979 Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 But the problem is as'well as we have done over the past 8 games it still would not be good enough to get into the top 2 spots. http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/oform.html Brighton and us are level based on ppg over the last 8. And Bounemouth are 0.12 ppg worse off then us based on that period. Which means if we stay at our current rate and so does everyone else Brighton and Bournemouth go up. Now i don't mean to put a downer on it as we have played well over that period. We have shown we can play well. But as good as it is, it needs to get better. We need top 2 form not 3rd. And because of that i don't think it is all that amazing. I think you spin it in a way that implies it is better then it really is. For example for the month of january we sit 7th in results http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/january.html In fact if you go through each months results you see January = 7th December = 9th November = 5th October = 2nd September = 19th August = 14th As you can see looking at it like that it shows only one month we have been top 2 form over a whole month and that was October. Now as i said i don't mean to put a downer on it as we still have plenty of time to go. But for every win against someone like Oldham there seems to be a defeat against someone like Tranmere. We had those results last year. Remember last year we thumped some teams? Bristol Rovers 1-5 away when they were a good team. That is far more impressive then beating Oldham 6-0 imo. We also beat Huddersfield 5-0 and someone else 5-1 if i remember right. But as good as those results were again we would then draw or lose against someone like Tranmere. That is our problem. Over the course of this season it is the same thing as last season. We win the big game only to then lose the game we should win more comfortably. It is a stop start pattern and you won't go up with that, not in the top 2 anyway. So yes there are positives. But we need to improve, it is as simple as that. Hmmm, so we have 21 games left and B'mouth have 20 and we need to make up 2 points on them over the course of the remaining games. At the points per game rate indicated there, the differential between our rest of season totals would be more than 4 points in our favour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 you have been decent enough to explain your opinion, as others do - not just been arrogant and say you are the only one and any one who disagrees is full of bullsh1t (including our manager) Where did I do that, then ? Really, you are a hysterical old woman, not particularly good at debating things, and seem to need to make things up to support your position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 see post 71 - try a debate I am happy to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 just after Adkins stated this squad is good enough to go up but will add quality for future if can you said full of bullsh1t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 nope -gone agian without answering any football debates! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 I doubt that we will catch Brighton and unlikely to finish second if we lose to Charlton Peterborough and Bournemouth. The team does not seem to win the pressure games which I think the next game at Exeter is so we are probably in for an interesting three months Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiSaint Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 But the problem is as'well as we have done over the past 8 games it still would not be good enough to get into the top 2 spots. http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/oform.html Brighton and us are level based on ppg over the last 8. And Bounemouth are 0.12 ppg worse off then us based on that period. Which means if we stay at our current rate and so does everyone else Brighton and Bournemouth go up. This statement didn't look quite right when you consider the number of games left, so being the sad git that I am I puched some numbers into a spreadsheet and discovered the following. Actually, Brighton and Huddersfield will go up under these circumstances. If you take the current points for all teams and add their avg points per game (over the past 8 games) for their remaining fixtures the top 6 looks as follows at the end of the season; Brighton 85.75 GD +46 Huddersfield 78 GD +12.4 Southampton 77.75 GD +49.77 P'Boro 77.5 GD +15 Bournemouth 75.4 GD +26.6 Rochdale 75.27 GD +12.98 If you use the same criteria based on the past 6 games then we still finish 3rd but with P'Boro beating us to 2nd place; Brighton 94.50 P'Boro 86.67 Southampton 86.50 Bournemouth 86.33 Rochdale 85 Huddersfield 79.67 Looks to me like if we can improve on our form for the past 6 (W4 D1 L1) or 8 games (W4 D2 L2) we could secure 2nd place so long as the others continue the same (I know - lots of if's!). "Lies, damned lies, and statistics" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 see post 71 - try a debate I am happy to | nope -gone agian without answering any football debates! Sorry, I have work to do my mad happy-clappy little friend.... Looked at post #71 and all the other verbal diahorrea you've posted on here, still cannot find evidence of me saying Adkins is full of bullsh*t.... D- Must Try Harder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 When the pair of you have grown up, perhaps we might be able to drag the thread back to its original purpose? On which note, I see Elliott Bennett, Brighton's best player, has put in a transfer request. Heavily linked with a move to Norwich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampersound Posted 28 January, 2011 Share Posted 28 January, 2011 My seagulls supporting mate is quite gutted about Bennett today. Hopefully their wheels might fall off over the next few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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