trousers Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11700/8951244/southampton-closing-in-on-matching-record-of-1983-84-legends Southampton are closing in on their best defensive start to the season in the top flight. Saints have conceded just two goals in the first six games in the Premier League this season, and one more clean sheet would seem them match their previous best back in 1983-84. That year, Steve Moran and Danny Wallace scored the goals that propelled Southampton to the runners-up spot in the league, by just three points, behind Liverpool - the club's best ever finish. The foundations were built on solid defence though - England legend Peter Shilton was in goal, with the likes of Mark Wright, Mick Mills, Mark Dennis and Ivan Golac in front of him in a no-nonsense back-four. This season, Artur Boruc, Nathaniel Clyne, Jose Fonte and Luke Shaw are the mainstays and Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino believes they can equal the record against Swansea this weekend. He said: "I can't speak for the period before I was here but from the moment I arrived we were one of the teams that conceded the least goals. "This is my first season with the team starting with an actual pre-season with the team. We have changed and signed some new players. "We are reaping the benefits of our work and our belief in how we want to play. We just want to keep working in this way, keep our good run and keep on this way." Saints have conceded goals against Sunderland Norwich, with West Brom, West Ham, Liverpool and Crystal Palace all shut out. "Our set-up is very clear - we want to defend by keeping possession of the ball," said Pochettino. "We want to be as effective on the attack, to be as far away from our end of the pitch as possible. "That's how we want to play, that's how we're playing and we're pleased with how we're playing. "We also know we are running a certain risk when we play that way because we might be giving the ball away but it's our philosophy, it's how we want to play and we want to believe we can play and succeed in playing that way." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disconnect Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 I like how they havent mentioned our best defender when talking about our impressive defensive record! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 The only time I can actually remember us breaking a club record was the 10 wins in a row over the end of the 2010/11 season and the beginning of the 2011/12 one. Every other time the papers have mentioned that we're on the verge of doing so, no matter how tenuous the record may be, we've then gone and ballsed it up in the next game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scummer Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 I don't even understand what the record's supposed to be?! I imagine they'd only conceded one goal to this point in '83 and then let in a couple in the next game? Bit of a spurious 'record'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Tender Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 I like how they havent mentioned our best defender when talking about our impressive defensive record! What a glaring omission. As you rightly say, he has been far and away our best defender and I doubt that we would be talking in terms of this record without his contribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 The definition of "start" is subjective at best as well. After Man United beat Liverpool in the League Cup last week, apparently it was the best start in all competitions made by a newly-appointed Man United manager since Sir Matt Busby. Given how long Ferguson was in the job, I can't imagine there were actually that many managers to beat in that period. Then after they lost to West Brom on Saturday, it suddenly changed to being their worst start to the season since 1989. It's all about what suits the narrative at the time. Right now, we're defending very well but struggling a little bit at the other end. It's possible that we might be on the verge of experiencing the worst start for 20 years in terms of goals scored in the first 7 games (I've not looked), but because we're getting positive results, the press concentrate on the good side of things (and rightly so). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsarum Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11700/8951244/southampton-closing-in-on-matching-record-of-1983-84-legends Said to mates on Saturday how much the current teams style of play and lack of goals conceeded reminded me of 83/84 team. We even have a pony tailed centre forward. Just hope this one scores more than Frank Worthington did that season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwichsaint Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 Said to mates on Saturday how much the current teams style of play and lack of goals conceeded reminded me of 83/84 team. We even have a pony tailed centre forward. Just hope this one scores more than Frank Worthington did that season. Add Lovren for Golac (diff position I know) but both out of the same top-draw and cult-hero status already looks nailed-on for Lovren too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 The only time I can actually remember us breaking a club record was the 10 wins in a row over the end of the 2010/11 season and the beginning of the 2011/12 one. Every other time the papers have mentioned that we're on the verge of doing so, no matter how tenuous the record may be, we've then gone and ballsed it up in the next game. The original Southampton way I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocco boxo Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 The original Southampton way I believe I have been banging on about this for years , every time something like this is brought up we totally cock up! Also if it is mentioned some player has never scored for his team or gone 20 games without a goal he scores against us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 1 October, 2013 Share Posted 1 October, 2013 The definition of "start" is subjective at best as well. After Man United beat Liverpool in the League Cup last week, apparently it was the best start in all competitions made by a newly-appointed Man United manager since Sir Matt Busby. Given how long Ferguson was in the job, I can't imagine there were actually that many managers to beat in that period. Actually they went through a heap of terrible appointments after Busby left after his main stint, including reappointing him at one point after his immediate successor didn't last 6 months. They were up to about 6 (depending on criteria) by the time Ferguson came along, over a period of nearly 20 years : Alex Ferguson 06 Nov, 1986 19 May, 2013 Ron Atkinson 01 Jun, 1981 06 Nov, 1986 Dave Sexton 14 Jul, 1977 01 Apr, 1981 Tommy Docherty 22 Dec, 1972 03 Jul, 1977 Frank O'Farrell 08 Jun, 1971 19 Dec, 1972 Matt Busby 28 Dec, 1970 02 Jun, 1971 Wilf McGuinness 10 Aug, 1970 28 Dec, 1970 Matt Busby 01 Feb, 1945 08 Jun, 1969 Fair point about boring media angles though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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