The Times predicts 20th place

[TopGun]

From The Times today. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article4454042.ece?token=null&offset=60&page=6

 

Southampton

 

The difficulties the club encountered in gaining the release of Jan Poortvliet, the manager, from Helmond Sport, the Dutch second division club, appear insignificant compared with the scale of the task facing the Dutchman as he attempts to improve on last season’s brush with relegation. Financial stringencies have enforced a pruning of the playing staff and the conviction of Nathan Dyer, the winger, for burglary has only added to the club’s problems. Funds have been found, however, for Morgan Schneiderlin, the France Under-19 midfield player signed for £1.2 million from Strasbourg, and Paul Wotton will add experience after arriving from Plymouth Argyle.

 

Predicted final position: 20

[Guided Missile]

Predicted final position: 20

I read it as 19th.....

Re-read it and am none the wiser....

Edited 9 August, 2008 by Guided Missile

[NickG]

heading in right direction already

[Window Cleaner]

heading in right direction already

 

 

obviously a better paper than the News of the Screws then, more refined

judgement.

[TopGun]

I see no relevance in the Dyer comment. Why has that added to our difficulties? If he has turned over a new leaf and has a good season it may even work in our favour given that he is still here rather than at Pompey/Chelsea or anywhere else.

[pedg]

I see no relevance in the Dyer comment. Why has that added to our difficulties? If he has turned over a new leaf and has a good season it may even work in our favour given that he is still here rather than at Pompey/Chelsea or anywhere else.

 

I wondered that as well. Also why go on about the difficulty of getting JP released when it appears to have been nothing special in the end, just his old club angling for more money.

[Fowllyd]

I read it as 19th.....

Re-read it and am none the wiser....

 

I see what you mean - however, if you follow this link http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article4454042.ece it takes you to the start of the article. Each team's predicted position is given after the bit of blurb, so 20th is what they're predicting for us.

[Badger]

Perhaps we should dig back through the archives of The Times to see what they predicted for Hull and Bristol City last season,Derby the season before etc..

[NickG]

and us! bet we proved them wrong!

[Saintmike666]

From The Times today. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article4454042.ece?token=null&offset=60&page=6

 

Southampton

 

The difficulties the club encountered in gaining the release of Jan Poortvliet, the manager, from Helmond Sport, the Dutch second division club, appear insignificant compared with the scale of the task facing the Dutchman as he attempts to improve on last season’s brush with relegation. Financial stringencies have enforced a pruning of the playing staff and the conviction of Nathan Dyer, the winger, for burglary has only added to the club’s problems. Funds have been found, however, for Morgan Schneiderlin, the France Under-19 midfield player signed for £1.2 million from Strasbourg, and Paul Wotton will add experience after arriving from Plymouth Argyle.

 

Predicted final position: 20

 

I so hope we prove all these people wrong! Although to be fair I prefer it when saints are written off by pundits rather than considered favourites.

[Bourno]

I would be happy to stay up this year.

[Perennial Underachiever]

I so hope we prove all these people wrong! Although to be fair I prefer it when saints are written off by pundits rather than considered favourites.

 

We were one of the favourites at the start of last season - look what happened there. So, I am hoping that the so-called experts will be wrong again.

[offix]

I would be happy to stay up this year.

 

Yup, I have stated before that I would consider survival a success.

I think after the first 5 or so matches many of the overly optimistic people on this board will also start to sing a different tune.

I really WISH for promotion, but with these players, and this management team, survival would be a great achievement.

[Huffton]

Load of ****** IMO. THis time last year we conceded 4 goals at home to a very average side. This year we let one in before equalising almost straight away, and then went down at the death to a very dodgy looking goal. All this at a notoriously hard place to go and play, against a team still riding high on the back of an FA cup appearance. I'm quietly optimistic about this season.

[Professor]

I've filed the Times insert from August 4th and I'll be bringing it up again next April - as long as we don't finish 20th!

[SaintDave]

20th? After all we're only 3 points off a play off place!