How you think it will end

[Pilchards]

I hope for a win tomorrow night that would make Sunday much more relaxing.

 

However, I suspect we'll draw yet again and then it'll be on to Sunday with all to play for.

Saints will take an early lead against City while Stoke also take a 1-0 lead into half time. Hope rises at St Mary's.

Stoke score a second while Saints are camped in their own half as City pass it around. McCarthy rescues another back three mistake.

20 minutes to go and the ref awards City a free kick on the edge of our area after Hoedt dives in needlessly. The free kick takes a deflection and the ball nestles in the back of the net. 1-1.

Soon afterwards word comes in that Swansea have a goal back.1-2.

Saints are defending manfully but Long breaks away with just the City 'keeper to beat. His shot hits the post and bounces to safety.

As it stands Saints are still up and Sky Sports show the table as it stands while going into a frenzy of hyperbole.

We move into the 90th minute and the City players are starting to think about the World Cup. Stephens passes across the Saints defence to Hoedt who slips on the over-watered pitch. Sane nicks the ball and slips it to Sterling who is a yard offside. The assistant keeps his flag down as Sterling rounds McCarthy and slides the ball into the empty net. 1-2 and Saints still up on goal difference.`

Saints are on the attack and the ref blows for full time after not enough extra time has been played. The focus switches to Swansea where there are 8 minutes added time. Dyer falls over in the box and the referee awards a penalty even though the ex-Saints forward tripped over his own feet. It's the last kick of the game. The penalty hits the post, comes back and hits the 'keeper on the back of the head before trickling over the line. 2-2.

At St Mary's the players fall to the floor in despair. Sky Sports are ecstatic.

 

Probably best to get that win tomorrow night.

 

 

**** me thats a slow death

[suewhistle]

I'm trying to avoid thinking about it. I'm seeking to achieve a state of zen numbness and to keep my blood pressure under control. I may allow myself to join in a chant of 'Reed Out!'.

[Cabrone]

I think we'll draw against Swansea and lose to Citeh but I'm not at all convinced that a relaxed Stoke won't beat a nervous Swansea on the last day, there really isn't much difference between them.

 

Also no-one is talking about West Brom but look at what results they have been getting since resigning themselves to 'relegation', beating Newcastle and Man U away + Spurs at home. Their last game is at an 'on the beach' Palace, compared to Man U it's definitely winnable. If we draw with Swansea then they are in with a real chance of staying up.

 

WBA pulling off one of the greatest escapes ever and us + Swansea going down is not a crazy scenario anymore.

[OttawaSaint]

I think we'll draw against Swansea and lose to Citeh but I'm not at all convinced that a relaxed Stoke won't beat a nervous Swansea on the last day, there really isn't much difference between them.

 

Also no-one is talking about West Brom but look at what results they have been getting since resigning themselves to 'relegation', beating Newcastle and Man U away + Spurs at home. Their last game is at an 'on the beach' Palace, compared to Man U it's definitely winnable. If we draw with Swansea then they are in with a real chance of staying up.

 

WBA pulling off one of the greatest escapes ever and us + Swansea going down is not a crazy scenario anymore.

 

****! Now I am even more nervous.

 

I can't imagine the final whistle going on Tuesday night and me jumping around my office (will be at work). I can only imagine despair of what could've been. Saints have been serving up night like these for years (Sheva, Sheff Utd, Sunderland, Prague away, Inter away, not to mention some of those classic **** ups in the 1990s like Norwich scoring in 120+ while we were down to 9 men, Chesterfield, Stockport...ugh!).

[Doctoroncall]

I just hope we are lucky enough to get the win at Swansea and not get tonked by City.

[Farkas]

Championship

[Shandy_Top_89]

Swansea coming from behind to draw.

 

Then us nervously watching the Swansea - Stoke game while getting smashed by City.

 

It will have to be the most agonising, prolonged, drawn out process, good or bad outcome. It just wouldn’t be Saints for it to be any other way.

[striker]

Our best chance is to find that green Time Infinity Stone, and turn time back to December so we can fire MP sooner.

[Lord Duckhunter]

I keep trying to tell myself that it’s not that important, that there are other things more important in life than the next 2 games, but I’m finding it difficult. I’m watching the Swans game in the boozer with a Huddersfield fan who lost his wife in Sept & his mum in Jan, if that doesn’t convince me losing a stupid football match isn’t the end of the world, nothing will.

 

I’ve just got a horrible feeling about Tuesday, and starting to think I’d take a point and then go hell for leather against a City side on the beach, dreaming of the World Cup. Stoke can be a decent side, who wouldn’t be the first to perform after the fear of relegation was taken away. One thing for sure, they’ve got competitors. Shawcross, Allen, Crouch, Johnson, Butland, don’t strike me as players that’ll down tools, they’ll be hurting. Add a bit of Shaqiri magic and you never know. Of course even if that happened, we maybe relying on Palace to keep WBA out.

 

How do I think it’ll end, head says draw Tuesday and eventually relegation. Heart says 3-0 Tuesday, and a lovely day out Sunday.

 

 

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[Maggie May]

You need calm heads. I don't think Saints have them.

 

We'll bottle it against Swansea.

[striker]

All I know is if we have a 1 goal lead at the 80th minute I will probably get sick. I'm terrified (rightfully so) by our CB's late in matches.

[simo]

3 nil tomorrow, 1 all vs city ! Les and Ralph will tell Gao they had it all under control because they are great at their job and he'll be happy because he's made a few quid and his cash cow is still in the premier league !

[OttawaSaint]

All I know is if we have a 1 goal lead at the 80th minute I will probably get sick. I'm terrified (rightfully so) by our CB's late in matches.

 

It's awful isn't it?

 

As the clock approaches 90 I always think, "this will be agony or ecstasy, there's no in between now...".

[Dark Munster]

Swansea 1 Saints 1

Cant see us winning this as Swansea are good at home.

 

Saints 2 City 1

A late goal for Swansea means they are above us and we must score after finding ourselves at 1-1.

88th minute Tadic pops up in a goalmouth scramble and the ball trickles over the line.

93rd minute a penalty to city and Sterling hits it hard to Mccarthy’s right and it’s turn around the post.

We survive for a 2-1 win.

 

Huddersfield to be relegated with WBA and Stoke.

95th minute: I'm rushed to the hospital with a heart attack.

[Pilchards]

95th minute: I'm rushed to the hospital with a heart attack.

 

Be worth it though

[OttawaSaint]

95th minute: I'm rushed to the hospital with a heart attack.

 

When you wake up you say to the doctor, "I survived and so did Saints!".

 

Dr looks confused and then gets it, "aahhh you must have thought that was the full time whistle, no, the ref was just checking it still worked thinking he'd worn it out blowing every 30 seconds for every single time a Saint so much as breathed on a City player".

 

"No, he added on another 5 minutes and Sterling scored, in off both posts, the crossbar and McCarthy's back".

 

*flatline*

[Dark Munster]

Because our last game is against Man City and Swansea’s is against Stoke. Anything other than a win tomorrow and we’re gone.

So if we draw and go into the final match outside the relegation zone we're gone?

[washsaint]

I hope for a win tomorrow night that would make Sunday much more relaxing.

 

However, I suspect we'll draw yet again and then it'll be on to Sunday with all to play for.

Saints will take an early lead against City while Stoke also take a 1-0 lead into half time. Hope rises at St Mary's.

Stoke score a second while Saints are camped in their own half as City pass it around. McCarthy rescues another back three mistake.

20 minutes to go and the ref awards City a free kick on the edge of our area after Hoedt dives in needlessly. The free kick takes a deflection and the ball nestles in the back of the net. 1-1.

Soon afterwards word comes in that Swansea have a goal back.1-2.

Saints are defending manfully but Long breaks away with just the City 'keeper to beat. His shot hits the post and bounces to safety.

As it stands Saints are still up and Sky Sports show the table as it stands while going into a frenzy of hyperbole.

We move into the 90th minute and the City players are starting to think about the World Cup. Stephens passes across the Saints defence to Hoedt who slips on the over-watered pitch. Sane nicks the ball and slips it to Sterling who is a yard offside. The assistant keeps his flag down as Sterling rounds McCarthy and slides the ball into the empty net. 1-2 and Saints still up on goal difference.`

Saints are on the attack and the ref blows for full time after not enough extra time has been played. The focus switches to Swansea where there are 8 minutes added time. Dyer falls over in the box and the referee awards a penalty even though the ex-Saints forward tripped over his own feet. It's the last kick of the game. The penalty hits the post, comes back and hits the 'keeper on the back of the head before trickling over the line. 2-2.

At St Mary's the players fall to the floor in despair. Sky Sports are ecstatic.

 

Probably best to get that win tomorrow night.

 

Brilliant - and probably not far from how it will pan out!

[nta786]

So if we draw and go into the final match outside the relegation zone we're gone?

 

On paper- yes.

 

There is a massive difference between playing City at home and already relegated Stoke at home.

 

Although I hope the players don’t have the mindset the majority of us fans have and remain confident in getting 6 points from final 2 games

[ChudSaint]

http://www.football365.com/news/stop-fretting-about-relegation-instead-embrace-it

[Saint_Tony]

We don't really deserve to stay up. At least Swansea put together a run for a bit. We've generally been consistently poor. Whilst I'd like us to stay up, relegation might be the wake up call we need. And in all honesty the top 5/6 are so far ahead of the rest its become a bit boring.

 

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[Batman]

That’s how much batman knows about football

 

What a weird comment.

[Toon Saint]

We have the better form and the better players. Swansea are gripped by the fear. We win 2-0 with goals from Tadic and Austin. COYS

 

 

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[badgerx16]

Win, win, stay up.

[Whitey Grandad]

The Stoke players will be out to impress future employers.

 

1-1 tomorrow and then we both draw next Sunday.

[trousers]

We'll beat Swansea 1-0... But we'll then lose heavily against Man City and Swansea will tonk Stoke and go above us by a goal difference of 1... with Huddersfield also picking up a point to stay up...

[OttawaSaint]

We get seconds away from victory on Sunday and then Noel Gallagher runs on the field and kicks the ball in the net, the referee allows it.

 

Just as a riot is about to break out Jeremy Beadle appears with Les, Ralph, Kat and Fraser Forster all pointing and laughing.

[simo]

You know Sky will be dieing for Swansea to stay up for the games Vs Cardiff!

[Matthew Le God]

You know Sky will be dieing for Swansea to stay up for the games Vs Cardiff!

 

Swansea to Cardiff = 42 miles

Southampton to Bournemouth = 33 miles

 

[Matthew Le God]

We don't really deserve to stay up. At least Swansea put together a run for a bit. We've generally been consistently poor.

 

We currently are not in the relegation zone and if we still aren't after 38 games then we deserve to stay up.

 

Whilst I'd like us to stay up, relegation might be the wake up call we need.

 

It is a disaster to get relegated, it isn't good for the club in any way to go down.

 

And in all honesty the top 5/6 are so far ahead of the rest its become a bit boring.

 

The gap between 6th and 7th is currently only 6 points. As recently as 2016 Saints were 6th, yes we ****ed up this season but the gap is not insurmountable.

Edited 7 May, 2018 by Matthew Le God

[Matthew Le God]

They have some pace up top, but I would be more worried about Bony (if he is available) bullying the 3 of them.

 

That’s how much batman knows about football

 

What a weird comment.

 

It does highlight how out of touch you are with football, Bony last played a game for Swansea over 3 months ago on 3rd February!

[Saint_Tony]

We currently are not in the relegation zone and if we still aren't after 38 games then we deserve to stay up.

 

 

 

It is a disaster to get relegated, it isn't good for the club in any way to go down.

 

 

 

The gap between 6th and 7th is currently only 6 points. As recently as 2016 Saints were 6th.

Go careful, statto. You were almost in danger of expressing an opinion with your middle comment.

 

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[adrian lord]

We will beat both Swansea and on-the-beach Citeh. Hughes gets keys to the City.

[DT]

Draw against Swansea. Draw against City against the odds. Go down

[trousers]

It is a disaster to get relegated, it isn't good for the club in any way to go down

 

I'm rather hoping we go straight down to league 1 so we can repeat the 2010 - 2017 'disaster' years

Edited 7 May, 2018 by trousers

[simo]

Swansea to Cardiff = 42 miles

Southampton to Bournemouth = 33 miles

 

 

What do you think would draw u bigger audience?

[Matthew Le God]

Go careful, statto. You were almost in danger of expressing an opinion with your middle comment.

 

You think I don't offer opinions on Saints? I have made more publicly available opinions on Southampton FC than any other person on the planet.

 

The 2007 to 2018 editions of the FM database have hundreds of thousands of data entry fields which are my opinions on the club and its players.

Edited 7 May, 2018 by Matthew Le God

[Matthew Le God]

I'm rather hoping we go straight down to league 1 so we can repeat the 2010 - 2017 'disaster' years

 

The club would be in a better place now if those lower league years were spent in the Premier League, benefitting from the hundreds of millions of missed TV money.

[Appy]

The club would be in a better place now if those lower league years were spent in the Premier League, benefitting from the hundreds of millions of missed TV money.

 

Christ, you’re the most boring person on Earth.

[Matthew Le God]

Christ, you’re the most boring person on Earth.

 

Says the man that stalks me on an internet forum! Are you denying the club would have benefitted had it not been relegated in 2005?

Edited 7 May, 2018 by Matthew Le God

[Winnersaint]

Pompous tw*t

[Matthew Le God]

Pompous tw*t

 

What have I said in this thread that could meet the definition of pompous?

[trousers]

The club would be in a better place now if those lower league years were spent in the Premier League, benefitting from the hundreds of millions of missed TV money.

Doesn't that assume we would have spent said TV money wisely?

[Matthew Le God]

Doesn't that assume we would have spent said TV money wisely?

 

Of course, but it is generally better to have money than not have it. Going from 2005 to 2012 without Premier League income runs into many hundreds of millions of missed revenue.

 

Plus... we didn't exactly do well from 2005 to 2009 with a lack of money either!

[nta786]

tbf to MLG he is right in the sense that staying in the PL is the best way of any form of success in this day and age.

 

if we want a cup/good cup run- far more likelier for that to arise from being in the PL. If we want Europe, then again, far more likelier by being in the PL. So yeah, sure there might be downs like this season- but finishing 17th one year and then getting recruitment right offers a better chance of finishing top half the following year, and repeat.

 

to go into the championship now takes us back a lot- and to see all those big clubs there scrambling for 3 promotion spots doesn't fill me with confidence to say we can go straight back up.

[Matthew Le God]

tbf to MLG he is right in the sense that staying in the PL is the best way of any form of success in this day and age.

 

if we want a cup/good cup run- far more likelier for that to arise from being in the PL. If we want Europe, then again, far more likelier by being in the PL. So yeah, sure there might be downs like this season- but finishing 17th one year and then getting recruitment right offers a better chance of finishing top half the following year, and repeat.

 

Exactly!

[trousers]

Of course, but it is generally better to have money than not have it. Going from 2005 to 2012 without Premier League income runs into many hundreds of millions of missed revenue.

 

Plus... we didn't exactly do well from 2005 to 2009 with a lack of money either!

Relegation could well turn out to be a "disaster" but it could also be a chance to flush out the dead wood and rejuvenate again. And, no, this shouldn't be interpreted as me hoping for relegation, I just have a pragmatic outlook on life and sometimes a 'one step back, two steps forward' event *can* lead to a better long term outcome than stagnating on the same spot. But, yes, I accept it could equally be a long term disaster...

[simo]

tbf to MLG he is right in the sense that staying in the PL is the best way of any form of success in this day and age.

 

if we want a cup/good cup run- far more likelier for that to arise from being in the PL. If we want Europe, then again, far more likelier by being in the PL. So yeah, sure there might be downs like this season- but finishing 17th one year and then getting recruitment right offers a better chance of finishing top half the following year, and repeat.

 

to go into the championship now takes us back a lot- and to see all those big clubs there scrambling for 3 promotion spots doesn't fill me with confidence to say we can go straight back up.

 

Not if it means Reed and Ralph staying and the policy of selling our best players continues imo!

[Matthew Le God]

Relegation could well turn out to be a "disaster" but it could also be a chance to flush out the dead wood and rejuvenate again. And, no, this shouldn't be interpreted as me hoping for relegation, I just have a pragmatic outlook on life and sometimes a 'one step back, two steps forward' event *can* lead to a better long term outcome than stagnating on the same spot. But, yes, I accept it could equally be a long term disaster...

 

That is a line that is often used by football fans, but I don't see how it works in practice. How does relegation help that more than staying up? It is easier to revitalise the squad when you have the Premier League money to aid a rebuild.

[nta786]

Not if it means Reed and Ralph staying and the policy of selling our best players continues imo!

 

i'm happy to sell our best players if it means we get a good fee for them- that's because it means they have been successful and in turn would suggest the team has been successful.

 

blame them for recruitment, not for selling- unless the PL imposes some sort of wage cap I don't see how we can stop players moving if they only have 2 years left on their contract.

 

it is a risky strategy to employ yes