For those who think can/will finish higher than 8th this season

[CB Fry]

It'll be interesting to see the mentality of the club if we're still in and around the top 4 come January. Do they take a risk and invest some more money to push us on, and really go for it? That's when we'll find out what the real aims are in my opinion.

 

I think we know what the clubs true aims are already. And they don't involve spun king dopey money around chasing top four. Top four, if we achieve it, will be done our way.

 

We won't be spending much in January, whether we're third, fourth, eighth or fourteenth. And I, for one, am more than happy with that.

[the_emu]

This is not correct. We have played two top six sides - both away - and we have won both games. As ever our problems come when we are up against the lesser lights. One of our away defeats was against the hapless side currently occupying 11th place.

 

This

 

We can only be as good as the teams put in front of us and 19pts and +15 suggest we are doing ok. After 9 games if we didn't cut the mustard we would have lost against Stoke, West Ham and Swansea who have all beaten teams of ...umm.....how should I put this.....the big 6 - and we would be wallowing mid table.

 

Swings, roundabouts and all that.

[the_emu]

It'll be interesting to see the mentality of the club if we're still in and around the top 4 come January. Do they take a risk and invest some more money to push us on, and really go for it? That's when we'll find out what the real aims are in my opinion.

 

In terms of squad depth I think we're OK. Like for like backups for Clyne (Trippier?) and Pelle in Jan will make us look pretty solid.

 

Not at all - January transfers are for panic buys at a premium to plug a hole - not to build out the squad, and as much as I hate the cliche, it definitely isn't the Southampton way.

 

I personally will be disappointed if we are involved in the Jan transfer window either to buy or sell*

 

*(Bertrand & Toby contract offers excluded)

[Whitey Grandad]

January signings tend not to be particularly successful, I seem to remember reading.

[pap]

Expectation can be a huge factor, and needs to be managed correctly. Liverpool out-performed the expectation of making a respectable push for a top four slot last year, only bunging the league away when the weight of expectation crushed them. They still haven't recovered.

 

We've managed to confound most pundits' expectations for the club already. When asked about our possible longevity in these lofty environs, most are now defaulting to small squad or a lack of results against the big teams to explain our imminent and inevitable descent to 7th or 8th positions. Let them keep talking bollócks, I say. The longer this team has doubters the more the players will want to prove them wrong.

[CWD]

Not at all - January transfers are for panic buys at a premium to plug a hole - not to build out the squad, and as much as I hate the cliche, it definitely isn't the Southampton way.

 

I personally will be disappointed if we are involved in the Jan transfer window either to buy or sell*

 

*(Bertrand & Toby contract offers excluded)

 

I think you're forgetting the amount of research we do on players. I don't we're a club that would panic buy anyone.

 

Also think a lot of people are judging the January window on a few high profile flops, particularly since Torres. For every Vegard Forren there's a Billy Sharp!

[hutch]

I think you're forgetting the amount of research we do on players. I don't we're a club that would panic buy anyone.

 

Also think a lot of people are judging the January window on a few high profile flops, particularly since Torres. For every Vegard Forren there's a Billy Sharp!

I can't follow your logic at all. If we're not doing well by January then don't improve the squad, and carry on as we are. But if we are doing well by January then replace some of the players that are doing well with new ones. Have I got that right?

[Junior Mullet]

Chelsea should win the league by a mile. City next and then Arsenal. At the moment we look good, better than the rest.

 

The other teams should improve considerably between now and May, I think it's just a question of how long we can keep playing as well as we are. We have good squad depth. yes we will have key injuries but so will the other teams.

 

I think we have a great chance of finishing above Spurs, Everton and Liverpool. I can see us finishing 5th, just below Man Utd.

[buctootim]

Chelsea should win the league by a mile. City next and then Arsenal. At the moment we look good, better than the rest.

 

The other teams should improve considerably between now and May, I think it's just a question of how long we can keep playing as well as we are. We have good squad depth. yes we will have key injuries but so will the other teams.

 

I think we have a great chance of finishing above Spurs, Everton and Liverpool. I can see us finishing 5th, just below Man Utd.

 

Liverpool will improve once Sturridge comes back and Man U are gradually getting it together. Assuming luck with injuries and not too many cup games I can see us doing better Everton and Spurs though.