Anyone else think we could be on the verge of something special?

[simo]

We're gonna win the league! (Clap clap)

[John B]

I agree with most on that we are just going to consolidate our position as a top ten club to progress higher we need to beat the elite clubs regularly.

 

Dont really see that happening

 

Doubt we will beat Stoke in the League Cup

[Redslo]

I understand being unhappy when you think things are going poorly--even if you are wrong, but what is the point of being unhappy when things are going well. Sure, our expectations should be tempered with a dose of realism but, at this point, 4 of the top 7 teams look vulnerable. That can only be good news. We are in second place after five games having played a schedule of average difficulty. That can only be good news. Our next game is winnable. ditto

[Dellman]

Is there still going to be a problem with that very unfair thing called 'Financial Fair Play'? Will we as low earners still be bound by FFP to pay lower wages than the big Four? If so our best players will continue to leave each summer and we will face all that crisis and rebuilding again as a way of life. We have got away with it once, but imagine that as a habit

[Barry the Badger]

I'm optimistic but when we came up against a good Swansea side we struggled until Bony did us a favour, so I'm cautious about it.

[Professor]

Don't really understand the amount of pessimism among posts on this thread. True, Saints' fans have had disappointments in the past but the present squad has evolved over the last 5 years into a very successful team. The worries of the summer exodus have been turned around so that we still have the bulk of that squad but strengthened with players who appear to be as good or better than those they have replaced. The team is now showing the merits people have been talking about, quality players, strength in depth and exceptional teamwork, all overseen by a highly adept manager.

 

The concern at the start of the season was how long it would take for the new players to fit into the squad and for the team to gel together but even in the very first game away to Liverpool, despite the 2-1 defeat, commentators were unanimous in praising the performance. After one drawn game at home, the team has then won five games in succession. On one hand, this may look like a bubble that will burst, but it may also be evidence that this team is getting gradually better. They have only played together for a handful of matches but they are training together and the integration process is still going on. This means that we shouldn't just expect the good results to continue but we can expect the performances to get even better. If we don't win on Saturday, I will be very surprised and on all the evidence I can't see why we shouldn't expect at least 10 points from the next 4 games.

 

Because this is football there is an element of luck involved as well, which is why not every game is won by the better team, so there can be no guarantees but if we do get those 10 points, we could even be top of the table by the time we play Stoke in the Capital One Cup. This isn't just intoxication following the Arsenal game but a distinct possibility. I'm not suggesting we could win the League given the strength of Chelsea and Man City, but because the fixture computer has put most of the hardest games into the period from the end of November through to early January, there is a real opportunity for the Saints' team to reach its optimum level before it has to face its toughest tests.

[norwaysaint]

I'm optimistic but when we came up against a good Swansea side we struggled until Bony did us a favour, so I'm cautious about it.

 

That's getting forgotten a bit by people mainly just seeing the points and the league position. With 11 against 11, we didn't look that good at Swansea. Newcastle's horrific performance flattered us a bit too and it took a brilliant half time turnaround to look good against West Ham. We do have a good team that may get even better, but we have had a bit of luck to get up to second. Hope it continues. The encouraging thing, though, is the fact that we were able to turn it around at West Ham and that we were able to take advantage against Newcastle and Swansea.

 

Beating and dominating Arsenal is by far our most encouraging result yet.

[david in sweden]

Very early days still but.........

 

 

- Just got only our 3rd ever win over Arsenal at Arsenal

 

......think I may have seen the first one. ...after our " first promotion 1966 ", .....we went to (the then Highbury ground), on Easter Monday 1968 ....and beat them 3-0.

 

(Having already rattled in 26 goals), Ron Davies was injured, and everyone groaned when saw 5'7" Reserve CF Micky Judd take his place, but Judd scored, along with one from Joe Kirkup and Terry Paine.

The balding Jimmy Melia, (who got a lot of unfair " stick " in home games from a section of the Dell crowd,)....absolutety ruled the midfield....(an outstanding performance that would have put his critics to shame), against a very useful Gunners outfit, who finished in the top half of the table, whilst we had struggled all season to survive. A more surprising result to a game I can hardly recall watching.

 

Historical note; I sat in a Stand that day, very close to a corner where.....an elderly policeman...(a man with a wonderful singing voice).. always sang a song prior to the kick-off of every game.

In respect, the crowd held complete silence, and the applause from all sections of the ground showed their genuine appreciation. Something that you would perhaps never experience today.

Edited 25 September, 2014 by david in sweden

[Roger]

If Rodriguez comes back quickly and as good, and we don't have any major injuries, I think we can actually push for the top 6.

 

I don't believe there's a better CM partnership than Wanyama and Schneiderlin, amazed they're both still here while so many teams struggle in those positions. While they're fit and in the team, no-one will beat us easily.

 

I agree with most on that we are just going to consolidate our position as a top ten club to progress higher we need to beat the elite clubs regularly.

 

Dont really see that happening

 

Doubt we will beat Stoke in the League Cup

 

Must be tough being you mate. You need hope in life.

[Professor]

While we are in reminiscing mood about Arsenal games, I was at Highbury for the FA Cup replay in 1979 soon after Charlie George had signed for Saints. Injury limited his appearances and he didn't play in the drawn game at The Dell but at Highbury, when the team was announced, Charlie George was in the side. It had been 4 or 5 years since he'd been at Arsenal but he was still a folk hero to Arsenal fans and when his name came over the Tannoy, there was a massive cheer. Unfortunately, we didn't win, but it felt like a very astute selection by Lawrie Mac to include George for that game. On a personal note, after he retired from football, Charlie George became a pub landlord in New Milton where I was living at the time. Some may remember the car stickers saying "I saw Charlie George Play". I could have had one a few years later saying, "I had my pint pulled by Charlie George".

[southamptonfc]

If you mean winning the League Cup by "something special", I would say we still need to win 3 games and beat Chelsea and/or Man City so don't get carried away.

[John B]

Must be tough being you mate. You need hope in life.

 

I am 68 years old been supporting the Saints for over fifty years so experience tells me that we are just going to consolidate our position as a top ten club to progress higher we need to beat the elite clubs regularly.

 

Dont really see that happening

 

Doubt we will beat Stoke in the League Cup

[sadoldgit]

I just try and enjoy the good stuff when it happens and tolerate the not so good stuff in the knowledge that there will be more good stuff down the line. The constant swinging back and forth for some between world beaters and worst club ever must be exhausting!

[sadoldgit]

I am 68 years old been supporting the Saints for over fifty years so experience tells me that we are just going to consolidate our position as a top ten club to progress higher we need to beat the elite clubs regularly.

 

Dont really see that happening

 

Doubt we will beat Stoke in the League Cup

 

Re Stoke, did you see us beating Arsenal???

[Redslo]

Is there still going to be a problem with that very unfair thing called 'Financial Fair Play'? Will we as low earners still be bound by FFP to pay lower wages than the big Four? If so our best players will continue to leave each summer and we will face all that crisis and rebuilding again as a way of life. We have got away with it once, but imagine that as a habit

 

The question is complicated. I will address it on my blog soon. Some of my earlier blog posts from this summer partially address it.

 

http://www.redsloscf.blogspot.co.uk

[John B]

Re Stoke, did you see us beating Arsenal???

 

Yes I did

 

We had a strong team they had a weak defence we were in form and had not won there for over 25 years

 

They had a long run of winning in the Cup which was likely to come to an end

 

Stoke is something different a bit of an anticlimax but of course we could win but would not put any money on it

[Charlie Wayman]

Already said on here we'll win the league this year

[Mallagroth]

Originally posted by me: Swansea in form are the biggest test so far for us this season, much more so than Liverpool in my opinion. If we dispatch them comfortably we will be looking very good for a top 6 attempt. if we lose respectably I would suggest we may not reach new heights but will comfortably scrap for the best of the rest places in 7-10 against swansea, Villa, and one of the ousted top teams (Liverpool or Tottenham is my guess which would also amuse me a lot).

 

Sticking to my prediction above and calling 6th. Think we will likely be in and around top 6 for whole season with a good stab at top 4 but just miss out on champions league at the run in.

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

Keeping my feet firmly on the ground. We're doing well to get points on the board now as I think it'll be a different story looking at our fixtures for December.

[simondo]

whats the point of being a fan unless you can get excited and jump up and down, brag about how good your team is, and banter with mates who have a crappy team in L2...

 

come on lads... this is supposed to be fun!!! you don't have to be serious and conservative all the time... let your hair down...

 

 

the future IS red and white... THE FUTURE IS SAINTS!!!!!!

[SaintBobby]

I'm still relieved that it doesn't look like we will struggle against relegation.

 

I have a nosebleed rom how fantastically well we are doing. Sensational start to the season. Pinch me.

[Whitey Grandad]

While we are in reminiscing mood about Arsenal games, I was at Highbury for the FA Cup replay in 1979 soon after Charlie George had signed for Saints. Injury limited his appearances and he didn't play in the drawn game at The Dell but at Highbury, when the team was announced, Charlie George was in the side. It had been 4 or 5 years since he'd been at Arsenal but he was still a folk hero to Arsenal fans and when his name came over the Tannoy, there was a massive cheer. Unfortunately, we didn't win, but it felt like a very astute selection by Lawrie Mac to include George for that game. On a personal note, after he retired from football, Charlie George became a pub landlord in New Milton where I was living at the time. Some may remember the car stickers saying "I saw Charlie George Play". I could have had one a few years later saying, "I had my pint pulled by Charlie George".

 

Charlie used to live in Hursley in one of those large houses behind the wall at the southern end. At that time I used to play fo IBM second team and Charlie used to walk his dog over on a Sunday morning and stand on the touchline watching us play. Well, I think he was actually watching me in particular.

Edited 25 September, 2014 by Whitey Grandad

[Professor]

Charlie used to live in Hursley in one of those lare house behind the wall at the southern end. At that time I used to play fo IBM second team and Charlie used to walk his dog over on a Sunday morning and stand on the touchline watching us play. Well, I think he was actually watching me in particular.

Brilliant. You could have your own car sticker - "Charlie George saw me play!"

[saintstheonly1]

we are definitely the surprise package of the premier league this season i mean c'mon how many of us thought we were in deep s**t when our players left, i was for one but what Koeman has done is something short of a miracle we just need to keep it up and carry on beating teams below us and keep giving the likes of Liverpool, chelsea, Utd, City a real good go when they come to St Mary's thats all, I wouldn't be surprised IF we can keep it up a Europa league spot beckons, Would anyone else want to see us in the Europa considering what its done for the likes of Swansea, Tottenham etc as if we were to get in the europa we would need a much bigger squad

[Dan Johnson]

I think this years top 4 will be

 

Chelsea

Man City

Arsenal

Man Utd (Based on them out scoring teams)

 

I think you can say that those 4 have the best squads, overall.

 

I think the likes of Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham are trailing just behind those 4

 

Then you have us just behind those 3 clubs, but able to beat any of the above on our day depending on injuries etc

 

Then the likes of Stoke, Hull, Swansea solid mid table teams who will give us a bloody good game

 

Then you have the rest.

 

I think we'll finish between 5th - 11th with a decent cup run, maybe even a cup win. I fancy us for the League Cup this year.

[Sour Mash]

we are definitely the surprise package of the premier league this season i mean c'mon how many of us thought we were in deep s**t when our players left, i was for one but what Koeman has done is something short of a miracle we just need to keep it up and carry on beating teams below us and keep giving the likes of Liverpool, chelsea, Utd, City a real good go when they come to St Mary's thats all, I wouldn't be surprised IF we can keep it up a Europa league spot beckons, Would anyone else want to see us in the Europa considering what its done for the likes of Swansea, Tottenham etc as if we were to get in the europa we would need a much bigger squad

I wouldn't go as far as saying Koeman has been working miracles yet, Tuesday night was great, but it's still been a handful of league games played so far and one of those was the West Brom at home game!

 

Would love a chance in the Europa League though, would be fantastic.

[Graffito]

6 in a row would be something special.

[broken spoke]

Pelle is starting to concern me, he's playing well, and a great signing. I can't fault him at times on his work rate, as he's getting better, and never gives up and keep trying to score, but he's not converting many into goals. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

He get between 5-10 chances a game, depending on the team we are playing

[farawaysaint]

Pelle is starting to concern me, he's playing well, and a great signing. I can't fault him at times on his work rate, as he's getting better, and never gives up and keep trying to score, but he's not converting many into goals. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

He get between 5-10 chances a game, depending on the team we are playing

 

Peter Crouch was the only player in the league last year to have chance conversion rate better than 1 of 5 assuming my dodgy website can be trusted so Pelle's not far off the rest.

 

http://statsbomb.com/2014/05/premier-league-1314-players-that-shot-from-best-and-worst-places/

[Ohio Saint]

Being a footy fan of a smaller club consists mostly of dealing with the present situation, but its also important to have a dream of greater things to come. As things stand right now, it would be the perfect time to indulge in those fantasies. Sure, they might not come to fruition, but if they don't, one will have at least enjoyed the fantasy at a time when it had a chance of actually become a reality.

 

a good imagination is a healthy thing to have in order to have a happier life. No need to wait for the end of the season to be happy.

Edited 25 September, 2014 by Ohio Saint

[JxgrSaint]

http://babb.telegraph.co.uk/2014/09/the-20-best-players-in-the-premier-league-so-far-september-14/

 

Very funny article that is tenuously linked to the thread title. We've got 3 players in this Top 20, no surprises which ones they are...

[S-Clarke]

Pelle is starting to concern me, he's playing well, and a great signing. I can't fault him at times on his work rate, as he's getting better, and never gives up and keep trying to score, but he's not converting many into goals. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

He get between 5-10 chances a game, depending on the team we are playing

 

Not clear cut though, to be honest. I thought he should have put one in against Arsenal, but his overall game is what's improving. His touch, movement and general 'target man' play is coming into the fore and it's making us a pretty formidable attacking outfit. I reckon he'll finish with somewhere between 10-15 goals, which is a fair return I reckon.

[Bucks Saint]

While being sober, sensible and realistic the great majority of the time, I am loving it (and still buzzing from Tues)

[Sour Mash]

Not clear cut though, to be honest. I thought he should have put one in against Arsenal, but his overall game is what's improving. His touch, movement and general 'target man' play is coming into the fore and it's making us a pretty formidable attacking outfit. I reckon he'll finish with somewhere between 10-15 goals, which is a fair return I reckon.

My only concern is that he seems to be playing every minute of every game for us, that will start to catch up with him over the course of the season and will carry a good chance of getting knocks, while we don't have anyone that can do a remotely comparative job for us - completely changing the way we play.

[S-Clarke]

My only concern is that he seems to be playing every minute of every game for us, that will start to catch up with him over the course of the season and will carry a good chance of getting knocks, while we don't have anyone that can do a remotely comparative job for us - completely changing the way we play.

 

It could well catch up with him eventually, but he's always played lots of games each season looking at his records...so we'll have to see how he copes in this league. I do have to wonder what the hell is going on with Gallagher though? It's just a wall of silence from the club, it must be quite a bad injury? He was in and around the squad last season and has now vanished off the radar for what I can only assume is to be an injury (may have missed something official on that?)

 

But he's the only player who can do a similar type of job as Pelle, but we do have alternatives - more so than last year I think.

[martel]

Is there still going to be a problem with that very unfair thing called 'Financial Fair Play'? Will we as low earners still be bound by FFP to pay lower wages than the big Four? If so our best players will continue to leave each summer and we will face all that crisis and rebuilding again as a way of life. We have got away with it once, but imagine that as a habit

 

Exactly, The Financial Unfair Play system, designed to keep the top seven as the top seven, for what will become the European super league, or something along those lines, hidden agendas in there somewhere, as Harry Redknap said this week, financial fair play would be a maximum amount any club could spend on transfers, with the addition in my opinion of a European wide salary cap, the salary cap would of course take a while to filter through as existing contracts would have to be honoured. That would be Fair Play.

[Sour Mash]

It could well catch up with him eventually, but he's always played lots of games each season looking at his records...so we'll have to see how he copes in this league. I do have to wonder what the hell is going on with Gallagher though? It's just a wall of silence from the club, it must be quite a bad injury? He was in and around the squad last season and has now vanished off the radar for what I can only assume is to be an injury (may have missed something official on that?)

 

But he's the only player who can do a similar type of job as Pelle, but we do have alternatives - more so than last year I think.

I've seen nothing from Gallagher to suggest he can do much in terms of holding the ball up, link up play, or particularly strong in the air. We'd massively miss Pelle's presence if he got injured.

[Professor]

Thinking about Pelle, who is playing well but could, maybe, possibly, be just a little more accurate with his shots or headers on goal. I wonder if we could put this right by getting Rickie Lambert back. Lambert isn't doing much at Liverpool so he must have a lot of free time and we are the second closest team to his heart. How about Rickie doing some part-time one-on-one coaching with Graziano just to sharpen up that aspect of his game that Rickie was so good at in his prime, which sadly for Liverpool (and for Rickie) is probably in the past. One problem with this idea might be communication, because although Graziano speaks English, I'm not sure if Rickie does.

[eelpie]

Don't get ahead of ourselves. We have to beat QPR first. Then the next team........

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

In the same games last season we generated 12 points. Lets keep our feet on the ground. What we do know is that we are unlikely to struggle.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

Thinking about Pelle, who is playing well but could, maybe, possibly, be just a little more accurate with his shots or headers on goal. I wonder if we could put this right by getting Rickie Lambert back. Lambert isn't doing much at Liverpool so he must have a lot of free time and we are the second closest team to his heart. How about Rickie doing some part-time one-on-one coaching with Graziano just to sharpen up that aspect of his game that Rickie was so good at in his prime, which sadly for Liverpool (and for Rickie) is probably in the past. One problem with this idea might be communication, because although Graziano speaks English, I'm not sure if Rickie does.

 

Rickie does not have time. He is now doing extra training.

[Suomi Saint]

One game at a time...........I started to have these fantasies last year and then we lost 2-0 at the Emirates. Beat QPR on Saturday, quickly followed by horsewhipping the duplicitous Argie Bar Steward, and then we can start to believe.

[Ohio Saint]

In the same games last season we generated 12 points. Lets keep our feet on the ground. What we do know is that we are unlikely to struggle.

 

Thos is not last season, and we are a vastly different team.

 

Sure, we can keep our feet on the ground, but why not give our heads freedom to dream a little?

[70's Mike]

......think I may have seen the first one. ...after our " first promotion 1966 ", .....we went to (the then Highbury ground), on Easter Monday 1968 ....and beat them 3-0.

 

(Having already rattled in 26 goals), Ron Davies was injured, and everyone groaned when saw 5'7" Reserve CF Micky Judd take his place, but Judd scored, along with one from Joe Kirkup and Terry Paine.

The balding Jimmy Melia, (who got a lot of unfair " stick " in home games from a section of the Dell crowd,)....absolutety ruled the midfield....(an outstanding performance that would have put his critics to shame), against a very useful Gunners outfit, who finished in the top half of the table, whilst we had struggled all season to survive. A more surprising result to a game I can hardly recall watching.

 

Historical note; I sat in a Stand that day, very close to a corner where.....an elderly policeman...(a man with a wonderful singing voice).. always sang a song prior to the kick-off of every game.

In respect, the crowd held complete silence, and the applause from all sections of the ground showed their genuine appreciation. Something that you would perhaps never experience today.

 

I was 14 at the time went with mum,dad and younger brother, dad drove old battered anglia upA30 then north circular.

[Toadhall Saint]

Guarded optimism

[Professor]

Rickie does not have time. He is now doing extra training.

They might say he is, but it might just be cover for him being back in the beetroot factory. Still, looks like Pelle will just have to keep practicing headers so that he can do them without messing his hair up.

[DuncanRG]

We'll be on the verge of something special if it's April or May and we're in the top six. At the moment we have some promise.

[Professor]

Seriously, we have only played 5 Premier League games plus two cup ties, one against a Championship side and one against an Arsenal team with mainly second choice players. The results have been fantastic but, BUT, as Koeman has said, this doesn't mean we are on course for a top six finish. It will be a long hard season and even if we are still in the top 6 at the end of November that will still be no indication of where we will finish next May. Its great fun to speculate and I'm dreaming along with the rest, but in football you have to take each result as it comes because no result guarantees the next one.

[whelk]

.......but in football you have to take each result as it comes because no result guarantees the next one.

 

This might explain why my bets are so bad. Darn

[Redslo]

My only concern is that he seems to be playing every minute of every game for us, that will start to catch up with him over the course of the season and will carry a good chance of getting knocks, while we don't have anyone that can do a remotely comparative job for us - completely changing the way we play.

 

I think he will get enough yellow cards to take some breaks during the season.