Realistic Expectations for the rst of the season...

[Born In The 80s]

Well, what do we think?

 

Realistically, i think you'd be a brave man to back us to make the top 2 now. Of course facts are facts, and we are still second in the league. But i think you have to dig deeper than that.

 

Firstly, obviously we're not winning and haven't been since November. That is a long time and the only reason we're still up there is because teams like Cardiff and Boro have constantly failed to capitalise on our poor results. We seem to have totally lost the knack of winning. If you're not playing well, a top 2 side still manages to grind out 1-0 wins - look at West Ham. We just don't have the ability to keep it tight when it counts.

 

Some will say that that is down to recent injuries Fonte and Hoovield, but i'd be questioning the midfield who offer our back 4 absolute naff all protection. Has anyone else noticed the number of times the opposition have got 4+ players running full tilt at our back-peddling back 4? As much as i like Cork and Morgan, they don't command the midfield anything like the level we need them to at the minute. Hammond is a must start for me from here on in. He's not technically as gifted. But he's the guy who i'd have in there every game from here on in. We just can't continue to leak goals.

 

I also think our luck has hugely turned. At the start of the season we were getting pens when we were getting fouled outside the box! Now, the refs aren't giving us a damn thing. Cardiff is a perfect example. If the ref does his job, we win that game 3-0.

 

Without a shadow of a doubt my expectations have been checked over the past month. This is the business end of the season and teams are now starting to make a charge (see Birmingham). I think the top 2 spots are going to be a big ask, if i'm totally honest. Even with 5 points between us and 6th, i think the play offs may be much harder to make than some people think, although i think we'll have enough. Just.

 

I've got us down to finish 6th.

[alpine_saint]

Struggle to stay in play-off position. Might just make it. But will have a good chance to win the play-offs.

 

We may "still be 2nd in the league", but I think automatic promotion is gone - the momentum is with the other teams.

[The Kraken]

Birmingham look like they're on a proper charge; with less distraction of Europe they can focus on the league. West Ham, most people tipped for the top at the start of the season and I think they'll do it.

 

Us; I think we'll contend with Brum for second spot, but come up a little bit short. I see us finishing 3rd or 4th. From there its an absolute lottery and anything can happen.

[Wiggles31]

If we beat Burnley I feel we'll turn a new leaf. I mean lets be honest the other teams in the top 10 are hardly amazing. Given our recent form we are still in the top two. A winning streak would have us back on course. Burnely game is massive!

 

So top two for me. If not play offs but nothing less.

[Wiggles31]

Blackpool are the team to watch out for.

[London Saint]

I said last week to jump on Birmingham to win the league each way at 9-1...now they are 6-1 and shortening

 

I expect Saints to be in the Top 6 but not automatic, although would have taken that at the start of the season!

[The Kraken]

Blackpool are the team to watch out for.

 

You can add Birmingham to them too. Last 10 games:

 

Birmingham: DDWWWWWWDW

Blackpool: WLWWDWDWWW

 

As a comparison:

 

Saints: WLLWWLDDDL

 

Simply not good enough.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

We have to believe we can get top two only if we base that on the season so far..

 

The squad is capable but will it succeed who knows?

 

We have had a bad run in recent times but are still very much in it.

 

If the other sides had been considerably more consistent during our bad run we would be in a worse position now but they did not,

highlighting the un-predictability of the division

 

Lots of teams have a chance of making it and currently we are in the 2nd best position to succeed.

 

Will we succeed? that is the question

 

I try to remain positive but realise our problems at present and hope we can overcome them

 

I am sure our team/club/manager believe they can do it so we must back them to do it

they have not thrown the towel in and neither should we...

 

COYS

[London Saint]

We have to believe we can get top two only if we base that on the season so far..

 

The squad is capable but will it succeed who knows?

 

We have had a bad run in recent times but are still very much in it.

 

If the other sides had been considerably more consistent during our bad run we would be in a worse position now but they did not,

highlighting the un-predictability of the division

 

Lots of teams have a chance of making it and currently we are in the 2nd best position to succeed.

 

Will we succeed? that is the question

 

I try to remain positive but realise our problems at present and hope we can overcome them

 

I am sure our team/club/manager believe they can do it so we must back them to do it

 

COYS

 

Agreed - and I think if we can get Sharp and Lambert firing together on all cylinders and tighten up our defence then top 2 finish is still realistic target

[dune]

Our bubble has burst. We won't even stay in the play-offs at this rate.

[mitch01]

Struggle to stay in play-off position. Might just make it. But will have a good chance to win the play-offs.

 

We may "still be 2nd in the league", but I think automatic promotion is gone - the momentum is with the other teams.

 

The 'momentum' is just why I think we probably will make 2nd. It has swung away from us since early december, but I think it will swing back with just one or two good results. That can start on saturday. Imagine a blistering start and we're 3 up at half time. Cardiff, Birmingham and Middlesbrough seeing that would say: 'Ah. They're back.' We probably can't keep up with Brum if they keep this form up but if they do they deserve to be promoted. Plenty of time for lots of swings and changes yet though, and I back us to make it with an improved squad and some lessons learned.

[sotonian]

We have 2 tough games coming up, we need to regain form quick, I think 10th place are now only about 7 points behind us, unless we turn this poor run round, we will soon be out of the play off positions, but I still believe we can get A top 2 place, keep the faith COYR

[iansums]

I think we'll do well to be in the play-offs come the end of the season. I agree with the OP, the midfield is much of the problem but I'm also starting to worry about our full-backs.

[thefunkygibbons]

17 games still to play for

[saints-cris]

I still think we'll come top 2

[Webby]

The thing is, football can change so quickly; beat burnley on Saturday and whu next week (I know it's asking a lot) and we'll be back on cloud 9. Don't forget, whu just recently got stuffed, Blackpool dented cardiffs hopes, so other teams can slip up too. I'm sure whu will have bad run of results, as will other teams in the top 6. Let's just hope we can find our form and confidence again cos with that we can beat anyone in this div.

[70's Mike]

i am not going to start cutting my wrists yet, Birmingham's and Blackpool's run may have come to early.

[dronskisaint]

We'll win the league

 

Statement delivered with as much accuracy, crystal ball philosophy and knowledge as everyone who has predicted differently.

 

The difference is that I'm happier than they are!

[70's Mike]

We'll win the league

 

Statement delivered with as much accuracy, crystal ball philosophy and knowledge as everyone who has predicted differently.

 

The difference is that I'm happier than they are!

 

well said

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

The thing is, football can change so quickly; beat burnley on Saturday and whu next week (I know it's asking a lot) and we'll be back on cloud 9. Don't forget, whu just recently got stuffed, Blackpool dented cardiffs hopes, so other teams can slip up too. I'm sure whu will have bad run of results, as will other teams in the top 6. Let's just hope we can find our form and confidence again cos with that we can beat anyone in this div.

 

You talk sense.

 

For a while now I've been looking for any sign that we are pulling ourselves out of the performance rut the team have been stuck in since well before Xmas - to be honest after last night it's kinda like cluchting at straws for all ther good it does. But we have good players and a pretty astute manager, so a Billy Sharpe goal or two on Saturday and who knows we could take off again.

 

At least this is what I keep telling myself.

[70's Mike]

we had blips in 67 and 78 do not panic

[Scarface]

I agree with the majority of whats on here, and it does make sense we have ben woeful since end of November and its been more than a "wobble" But.......

 

The second half against Cardiff has given me enough belief that we can get back to playing like we did at the start of the season, with a stronger squad i expect us to have a fighting shot for 2nd.

 

Brum, Blackpool and Cardiff are due a wobble as well as well.

 

We need to expect the unexpected, i will be really disappointed if we dont finish in top 6, top 2 will be tough but we have a better chance (as the table stands today) than the other below us.

 

I would rather have those extra 2 points in hand.

 

We can turn our form around. Keep the faith

[Crazy Diamond]

Nothing is certain in this division. Nothing. Which only makes me think wondering where we'll finish is pointless, but there's no harm in guessing I suppose.

 

I can see West Ham blowing their current advantage quite easily. There have been some games this season where we've not played well but we've not been absolutely hammered on the scoreboard. West Ham HAVE had that, away to Ipswich. I can see that happening a fair few more times as they target the title and forgo playing it safe which sometimes you have to do, and let's be honest, with the amount of strikers they've got, they WILL forgo that.

 

Birmingham are on a good run of form. No doubt about that at all, and they certainly seem threatening. They're peaking at the right time I suppose, but we know all about good runs of form and how they can suddenly end. It could well happen to them.

 

I have to add as well, has it not occurred to anyone we may have overachieved in the first part of the season? It's dawning on me that we probably did. Whatever happens this season, going on how I thought we'd do at the start of the season, we will have surpassed my personal expectations.

[S-Clarke]

I think the better teams are now coming to the fore and are showing us up a little in terms of squad depth. (we've got a big squad, yep, but our reserve players aren't really good enough as we've found when they've been called into action)

 

We did well at the start of the season to capitilise on teams slow starts etc. which was aided by a full fit and confidence flowing team - but now the better teams have got to grips with this league and we're starting to see that. The managers now have obviously studied us massively over the last few months and it seems to me, in many ways, we've been sussed out. Teams now have successful game plans which stop us and we're seeing more and more sides implementing those, and the worrying thing for me is that they're also attacking our weaknesses much more than they did at the first half of the season.

 

I think we've got a good squad, no doubts about that, but on paper I don't believe it's one of the top 2 or 3 sides. We've not got the premiership experience alot of teams have and that's whats coming to the fore at the moment.

 

We're still amazingly hanging onto the top 2 by our finger tips though, not sure how we've managed it - so for me that boosts my confidence slightly, but then if our form continues as it has been for the last 6 weeks then it has to be said we'll be doing very well to even finish inside the top 6.

 

I hope we don't miss this great opportunity and I'm sure the players and management realise that, but maybe we're just lacking a little in certain areas? Just my opinion.

[PaulSaint]

I reckon Birmingham will win it but West Ham's dip will start with around 10 games to go, we'll then replicate our early season stride & pip theWhammers for 2nd

[EBS1980]

Depends how long it takes us to get out of the slump we are in. Since we lost to Bristol City at home, our home form has gone. We have done better away, but just need to get back winning at home and drawing away and we will be automatic promotions. Otherwise we will drop play offs or maybe out all together.

[Turkish]

Unless we halt the slide, starting this weekend, i think we'll struggle to make the play offs. We still have to go to West Ham, Blackpool, Hull, Middlesborough and Leeds. Can anyone realistically see us picking up more than 2-3 points from those games given our current form. I can easily see that being 5 defeats and momentum handed to our promotion rivals. Got a few tricky home games ahead as well. Reading, Derby, Burnley, Skates, Ipswich who seem to be improving.

[S-Clarke]

Unless we halt the slide, starting this weekend, i think we'll struggle to make the play offs. We still have to go to West Ham, Blackpool, Hull, Middlesborough and Leeds. Can anyone realistically see us picking up more than 2-3 points from those games given our current form. I can easily see that being 5 defeats and momentum handed to our promotion rivals. Got a few tricky home games ahead as well. Reading, Derby, Burnley, Skates, Ipswich who seem to be improving.

 

Swing that round the other way and look at it as a bonus we play those sides - we're the team ahead, so getting the results against them (or stopping them getting maximum points) is in our hands.

 

It's all in our hands really, so let's see how we do. We always seem to raise our game against the better teams, never really too nervous. I'm more nervous about going to places like Doncaster where we 'Should' win. That's been our undoing this year, we've preformed pretty top notch against the sides around us.

[SnailOB]

I think we've got a good squad, no doubts about that, but on paper I don't believe it's one of the top 2 or 3 sides. We've not got the premiership experience alot of teams have and that's whats coming to the fore at the moment..

 

Agree with that statement but at the same time, I have seen nothing from any of the other teams in the division to suggest that they are that much better. West Ham play with one up top but play with 3 strikers on the bench, I think after SA January transfer dealings they will implode. Top 10 places are very close, but again, evryone can beat everyone else so points will continue to be gained and dropped by all sides.

 

We need to just get our 'mojo' back. We have great team spirit but results and injuries have taken their toll. As alluded to on other threads, NA now needs to choose his best XI and stick to it. The cup has been a distraction as NA has used this to give some fringe players experience of regular football and to provide run-out time to those players coming back from injury and suspension.

 

I appreciate results over last 15 games has been poor but this is the first real period of disruption the side have had (For a few weeks Fonte is out then followed by Jos. Lambert suspended, Chaplow injured etc..) Furthermore, ruling out the rest of the season because of a Millwall cup result is ridiculous. Personally I feel we have just as much chance as anybody else and would not be surprised to see us in top two come the end as quite frankly 'over the whole of the season so far' I have not seen any one time who I can say are far and away better than us.

[S-Clarke]

Agree with that statement but at the same time, I have seen nothing from any of the other teams in the division to suggest that they are that much better. West Ham play with one up top but play with 3 strikers on the bench, I think after SA January transfer dealings they will implode. Top 10 places are very close, but again, evryone can beat everyone else so points will continue to be gained and dropped by all sides.

 

We need to just get our 'mojo' back. We have great team spirit but results and injuries have taken their toll. As alluded to on other threads, NA now needs to choose his best XI and stick to it. The cup has been a distraction as NA has used this to give some fringe players experience of regular football and to provide run-out time to those players coming back from injury and suspension.

 

I appreciate results over last 15 games has been poor but this is the first real period of disruption the side have had (For a few weeks Fonte is out then followed by Jos. Lambert suspended, Chaplow injured etc..) Furthermore, ruling out the rest of the season because of a Millwall cup result is ridiculous. Personally I feel we have just as much chance as anybody else and would not be surprised to see us in top two come the end as quite frankly 'over the whole of the season so far' I have not seen any one time who I can say are far and away better than us.

 

The top teams have the better squads, that's what I was trying to get at. So the players they can call upon are proven performers, whereas the guys we call upon are decent to average championship players and that's where we've been found out slightly.

 

The positive has to be that our better players are coming back and I hope that we can see some of that swagger again. We just need a couple of wins, just a bit of confidence...

[Turkish]

Swing that round the other way and look at it as a bonus we play those sides - we're the team ahead, so getting the results against them (or stopping them getting maximum points) is in our hands.

 

It's all in our hands really, so let's see how we do. We always seem to raise our game against the better teams, never really too nervous. I'm more nervous about going to places like Doncaster where we 'Should' win. That's been our undoing this year, we've preformed pretty top notch against the sides around us.

 

If we were playing them at home i'd agree. But our away form is patchy at best. I just cant see us going to places like Hull on a february evening and winning. Blackpool are on fire at the moment and Leeds will have new manager sydrome by the time we play them. I geniunely cant see us getting more than 3 or 4 points from those games.

[Chez]

yesterday I thought we'd win the league, today I think we could miss the play offs. Football, bloody hell.

[S-Clarke]

If we were playing them at home i'd agree. But our away form is patchy at best. I just cant see us going to places like Hull on a february evening and winning. Blackpool are on fire at the moment and Leeds will have new manager sydrome by the time we play them. I geniunely cant see us getting more than 3 or 4 points from those games.

 

TBH people predicted a thrashing at Birmingham, yet I felt we controlled that game pretty well. Ok, the conditions were utter **** and unplayable at times, but we didn't look brittle and we stood up to anything they put at us.

 

We'll get some surprisingly pleasing results away from home, I'm sure of it. (in terms of points returns, our away form is much better than our home form at the mo too - seems to have swung around!)

[SnailOB]

The top teams have the better squads, that's what I was trying to get at. So the players they can call upon are proven performers, whereas the guys we call upon are decent to average championship players and that's where we've been found out slightly.

 

The positive has to be that our better players are coming back and I hope that we can see some of that swagger again. We just need a couple of wins, just a bit of confidence...

 

Without doubt. How many of our squad have 'realistic' premiership experience ? The players have performed admirably so far. They are now facing their first real test of the season. Like you say, our better players are coming back and I think they have easily matched those teams/players who have been performing together in the championship & premiership. Thats why I am confident that we still have a very good chance of automatic promotion.

[Turkish]

TBH people predicted a thrashing at Birmingham, yet I felt we controlled that game pretty well. Ok, the conditions were utter **** and unplayable at times, but we didn't look brittle and we stood up to anything they put at us.

 

We'll get some surprisingly pleasing results away from home, I'm sure of it. (in terms of points returns, our away form is much better than our home form at the mo too - seems to have swung around!)

 

Hmm, considering we've only won three away games since the middle of August and two of those were against Coventry and we are yet to beat a team in the top half on their own patch, forgive me for getting too excited about our away form.

[Simster]

We have 2 tough games coming up, we need to regain form quick, I think 10th place are now only about 7 points behind us, unless we turn this poor run round, we will soon be out of the play off positions, but I still believe we can get A top 2 place, keep the faith COYR

Correct. We were 15 points behind you on Dec 31st, now that gap is just 7 points. I reckon you'll finish 5th, which I'm sure you would have taken at the start of the season.

[notnowcato]

At the start of the season I was hoping for play offs but expecting 7th or 8th. I still believe in this side and the manager to turn things around, a top 2 finish is still well within our means.

 

Birmingham are in fine form at the moment. They will more than likely blow up at some point as they've played 7 Europa League games and are still in the FA Cup.

[syd_barrett_saint]

Birmingham and Blackpool will come unstuck at some point. West Ham have been extremely lucky and that luck will soon dry up. Cardiff always bottle it. The rest won't even challenge.

 

All we need to do now is get back on track and we'll be fine for automatic promotion. "All we need to do"... haha! I trust that Nigel, with the full squad available for selection now though, will be able to do it. The FA Cup result is irrelevant, I was confident after deserving to beat Cardiff and battling to a draw in difficult conditions at Birmingham. An unlucky result in the cup without our full strength team has nothing to do with our chances in the league.

[Seagull]

You'll make the play-offs, you only need another 20-23 points. 1.35pts a game average, thats lower mid-table form. Auto's, who knows, but loads of sides in this league will have a run of games without a win, and then pick up again. We picked up 3 points from 15 in December and then 13 from 15 since then. It's just a crazy league!

[benjii]

I still maintain we will win the league, and possibly by a reasonably comfortable margin.

 

The best teams in the league are us, Hull and Blackpool.

[trousers]

Gut feel? Top 2.

[Saint Garrett]

17th...

[jjsaint]

I said Top 2 at the start of the season. Now I am not so sure. I'm thinking playoffs unless we pull the proverbial finger out.

[Deano6]

Unless we halt the slide, starting this weekend, i think we'll struggle to make the play offs. We still have to go to West Ham, Blackpool, Hull, Middlesborough and Leeds. Can anyone realistically see us picking up more than 2-3 points from those games given our current form. I can easily see that being 5 defeats and momentum handed to our promotion rivals. Got a few tricky home games ahead as well. Reading, Derby, Burnley, Skates, Ipswich who seem to be improving.

 

To be fair I'm struggling to think of an easier 5 teams to have at home at this stage in the season. Forest and Coventry perhaps.

[SuperMikey]

What's happening to us is similar to what happened to Leeds in our first season in L1 - they had a great spell, established themselves at the top of the league and then had a blip and fell away. They still finished 2nd.

 

I think that's what we'll do.

 

We need to pick up a few wins in a row over the next month to breed confidence. It would help to get Sharp and Lee scoring as well, if Rickie, Sharp and Lee are all in form then we can outscore anyone, especially with Guly too.

[beatlesaint]

Coming away from the ground last night a guy in front of me said to his mate "we aren't as good as we think we are".

That pretty much sums it up for me (and I'm not talking about last night). We started off like a train and have now levelled out. We are, I think, a good Championship top ten side, maybe a bit more, certainly nothing less than that.

We could make the playoffs but I honestly believe that could hinge on the next two home games against Burnley and Derby. If we fail to win either then we will drop like a stone, confidence will become even more fragile than its starting to look now.

 

Hopefully the players will learn from this, if they learn straight away then great it could well be an exciting end to the season. Failing that next season should see a real push for promotion.

[SNSUN]

A top two finish is not beyond us. I feel our form will pick up, and soon, and we'll be there or there abouts at the end of the season. Play-offs would not be a bad finish, but I'd rather not have to put up with that lottery.

[Wes Tender]

Birmingham and Blackpool will come unstuck at some point. West Ham have been extremely lucky and that luck will soon dry up. Cardiff always bottle it. The rest won't even challenge.

 

All we need to do now is get back on track and we'll be fine for automatic promotion. "All we need to do"... haha! I trust that Nigel, with the full squad available for selection now though, will be able to do it. The FA Cup result is irrelevant, I was confident after deserving to beat Cardiff and battling to a draw in difficult conditions at Birmingham. An unlucky result in the cup without our full strength team has nothing to do with our chances in the league.

 

With you all the way. Pre-season expectations for me were play-offs or just under. But having done so well until the turn of the year, I revised them to automatic promotions. Although we have had a blip that is explainable by key injuries and suspensions, on the plus side is the return of those key players, the signing of Sharp and Lee and the bonus of Puncheon getting his mind in order and having something to prove. A couple of victories and everything will begin to look very different.

[david in sweden]

If we were playing them at home i'd agree. But our away form is patchy at best.

I just cant see us going to places like Hull on a february evening and winning.

Blackpool are on fire at the moment and Leeds will have new manager sydrome by the time we play them.

I geniunely cant see us getting more than 3 or 4 points from those games.

 

 

Actually Turkish - we play Hull on a March evening (at least according to the fixture list) but the players know how to play and we will emerge from this "blip " quite soon.

 

I'm very hopeful that after two and a half seasons with everyone watching Lambert banging in goals, NA will create a new strategy to benefit the arrival of Sharp and Lee...which other clubs (and our fans) ..haven't seen before. Puncheon has (re-started) very well.. considering he isn't 100% match fit and hasn't played regularly for almost a year... It may take Chaplow a game or two to get back to form, but he puts himself about and (hopefully) he'll revive the midfield.

 

Ben Reeves sounds like a good prospect and has made some good performances (though mostly as sub.) in some pretty dire games, and he must feel sick / angry / more determined ...after having a perfectly good goal disallowed last night. He should have Barnards place on the bench ...and once LB has got his future sorted he should go out on loan to a lower league club where he can assured of scoring some goals, and regain confidence.

 

 

I still think we'll go up, and if necessary... I'd settle for second spot.

Edited 8 February, 2012 by david in sweden

[saints_is_the_south]

I'm starting to believe that we are going to struggle even making the Play Offs. We'll have a lot better idea after the next 2 games, but if asked today to predict our final position I'd say 7th or 8th.