stay up yes or no

[N/West Saint]

Intresting to see if views have changed in the last few weeks.

 

So the question for today is do you think we can survive in this league.

 

For what its worth i had us down for sure, but now i am not so sure.

 

Oh saints you do put me through it

Edited 1 March, 2009 by N/West Saint
to early on a sunday morning

[Gingeletiss]

Never really had a definate opinion, one way or the other. Two wins back to back, has really got the feel good factor going in many, but beware the 'A' word, many here could be throwing themselves off the Itchen......we have far too many false dawns.

[Oz]

they are going down, for sure

[Snowballs2]

2 wins is a start but my head still says relegation. Other teams are putting results together too

[alpine_saint]

Very much in the balance, unwilling to be drawn.

[Seaford Saint]

Very much in the balance, unwilling to be drawn.

 

For a second I thought I might see something positive

[sidthesquid]

I have started to hope again.....

[Daren W]

2 wins is a start but my head still says relegation. Other teams are putting results together too

 

It's the same thing that's helping Pompey stay up that's damning us. They lose, teams around them lose as well. We win, teams around us win as well. Write this weekend off. Forest won away at Reading, Plymouth won away at Wolves. Back to square one.

 

We did get one thing this weekend though....

 

We got hope...

[Iowsaintsfan]

It's the same thing that's helping Pompey stay up that's damning us. They lose, teams around them lose as well. We win, teams around us win as well. Write this weekend off. Forest won away at Reading, Plymouth won away at Wolves. Back to square one.

 

We did get one thing this weekend though....

 

We got hope...

 

 

And got above norwich!

[lordswoodsaints]

Intresting to see if views have changed in the last few weeks.

 

So the question for today is do you think we can survive in this league.

 

For what its worth i had us down for sure, but now i am not so sure.

 

Oh saints you do put me through it

 

id agree with this,i couldnt see where the points were going to come from.

before yesterdays game i had us down for needing 15 points from 13 games and now it is 12 points from 12 games.we were averaging 0.9 points per game under JP so 12 points from 12 games is a more realistic,achievable target to aim for.

i have to admit that the last 2 games i have witnessed some great passionate football,but we all know that this could have been the case from the start of the season if lowe/wilde/JP/wotte had read this forum and done the right thing.

we have all been calling for experience,a different style of play and passion all season........its just a shame that the 'puppet master' didnt listen,we could now be filling the ground whilst pushing for promotion instead of fighting for survival.perhaps next season will see us getting back to the form we should be showing and pushing up the league in style.

[sperm_john]

strangely before we started winning i fancied us to stay up by the skin of our teeth again, but now we have started winning i fancy us to mess it up somehow and go down! of course im hoping to be proved wrong..

[Griffo]

I can't really see us getting anything at Ipswich or Birmingham though, to be honest.

[alpine_saint]

For a second I thought I might see something positive

 

You didnt see anything negative, did you ?

[Johnny Shearer]

Very much in the balance, unwilling to be drawn.

 

For a second I thought I might see something positive

 

Come on TTV, Alpine only giving their opinion.

 

Have to agree with them on this one. At this stage its either way. However in two games time it could change again.

[krissyboy31]

If we don't suffer many injuries and can keep the nucleus of the XI who started v Preston and Cardiff, we've got a chance (albeit slim IMO). Injuries to key players such as KD Size, Perry, Skacel, Surman, Euell or Saga, then no chance!

[LVSaint]

Still down. Just so much still to do. I will re-evaluate in four games' time.

[SaintRobbie]

Heart: Yes

 

Head: (Lowe+damage done+strange manager etc) NO.

[explorer saint]

Lets see where we are this time next week, after 2 tricky away games think we can get a draw at Ipswich and even a win at Brum, and no I'm now totally sober

[Saintandy666]

I don't dare say yes.

[Whitey Grandad]

The situation is a lot brighter but it's still going to be touch-and-go. The form table is a good indication The important results are the game in hand, home v. Charlton and away at Blackpool & Forest. I think that we will need at least 16 points from the last 12 games and at this rate it looks like it will all go to the last day of the season.

[sadoldgit]

I am more postitive about saying up now than I was 2 games ago. Wotte seems to know what he is doing and those two wins were massive for us.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

I am more postitive about saying up now than I was 2 games ago. Wotte seems to know what he is doing and those two wins were massive for us.

 

The next two are even more massive, I reckon, 4 points might even get my hopes up.

[St Landrew]

There's a glimmer out there, that's all. Some of the threads and posts I've read, you'd think Saints were practically in the clear already. Well, they're not. They are third from bottom, and all the other teams are fighting as well. They won't play badly while this club has a sudden renaissance. There are 36 points left for this club to play for. If they get half of those they may be safe, but do you see them getting 18 points..? Not sure I do.

 

Yes, there are massive games coming up. It's a pity that people at the club don't seem to realise that the first game of the season is as massive as the next one, and the next one... right to the last. If they did, we wouldn't even have this thread.

[Nineteen Canteen]

Seriously hopeful we can stay up especially as I thought the best we could do was 2 pts from our last 2 games and we got 6 and even allowing for 2 pts I thought we would make our target of 48 -50pts. The fact we won today and so did Plymouth and Forest is a good thing. We still have a game in hand and perhaps we can push away and make it a fight for the last relegation place like last season. Our goal differece is the biggest worry but after 3 tough games with both Ipswich and Derby in the top 6 of the form league we have some very tasty fixtures if Wotte can keep them playing as they are.

 

after the next 3 games our last 9 games are:

 

QPR, Blackpool, Charlton, Watford, Wolves (Choking big time), Palace, Sheff Wed, Burnley (Choking big time) Forest

 

Get past Ipswich, Birmingham and Deby and accept some hiccups and if we play as we have done recently he have a very friendly looking run in.

 

5 wins from those last 9 games and 4 draws from the next 3 and remaining 4 above and we have 53pts and no team has been relegated from this league on that total since the Premier League started.

 

IMO I think we'll be safe before the last game of the season. Progress!

[Badger]

Two home wins out of two is probably morew than we might reasonably have expected given our form at SMS this season,but achieve it we have.

 

Sadly I think we have left ourselves far too much to do.Rather like our relegation from the premiership we have frittered away too many matches that were winnable in the early part of the season,whilst Lowe keeps faith in an underperforming manager.

[St Marco]

2 wins on the trot is a great result and gives us hope. But even with the wins we are no closer to pulling ourselves out of the drop zone, we remain as we were. And that highlights how important the games we lost were. Especially to the teams around us. What happens now is what matters and the players will have confidence to go into games that before they didn't have. We now have 2 gigantic away games against 2 very good teams. If we lose them we will go further behind, that is the nature of the league.

So i think the next 3 games will decide it for me. If we don't get at bare minimum 4 points from them then i think we will just run out of games and sadly what happened in the first 30 games is what will have relegated us.

[N/West Saint]

The next two are even more massive, I reckon, 4 points might even get my hopes up.

 

2 pts and i would be happy. But brum may be there for the taking

[docker-p]

Two tough away games will give us a better idea. Problem is when we got so far into the relegation mire it is not just about us getting results, we need others to go our way. Yesterdays result would have bean sweeter if more of our rivals failed to win.

[Legod Third Coming]

We simply have to shut out everyone else and win every week.

 

Sounds easy doesn't it... lol.

[um pahars]

50/50 for me.

 

A little bit more positive as would be expected after the last two results, but I think this will go right down to the last game.

[rick1976.4.38]

draw at the tractor boys and a win against brum,coyr.then its down to the so called easier games,who knows with saints,but at least we are still in with a chance

[ottery st mary]

Miracle to stay up. 40/60 but a win or two in next three and we are right back in there.

Yes it sounds ok but it does not allow for others around us losing as well.

 

But at least we will fight now..Hopefully.

 

COYR

 

If only they could have seen this in December...Father xmas saw the big day coming.

[Mr X]

I still have to stand by my opinion that we will go down. We are showing signs of improvement but unfortunately the damage has allready been done in the other games. Its a definite 'too little too late'

 

Hope I'm wrong

[Mole]

I think we'll go down.

[Charlie Wayman]

Some things have changed for sure. We are in far better shape at the back, holding the line better and with more discipline with individuals showing improved awareness of space and men running; individual positional marking has notably improved. There are still weaknesses especially in heading balls clear of the box, still a great tendency to head clear into forward positions on the edge of the 18 yard box rather than out to the sides. This needs to improve.

 

Overall the improved integrity of defending over the last few matches must be IMO down to the input of Michael Svennson as a defence coach and this is 80/90% of our improvement overall.

 

The defensive midfielders now have a growing belief in the ability of the back four not to buckle under pressure and so are much more prepared to get forward and create play as well as sit tight in the hole to help the defence. Particularly outstanding in this role is Simon Gillett who looks more and more a shoe-in for Paul Scholes and surely must be heading for England's first eleven. Andrew Surman too has gained more confidence and his partnership with Rudi Skacel is turning into something really exciting and penetrating.

 

Unfortunately the right flank is not up to speed yet, Lloyd James is another class act but is reluctant to over commit to attack understandably but is getting precious little support from Lallana who more and more looks out of his depth, which is a shame as it all looked so promising 18 months ago. DM has found his best position running forward and using his trickery, skills not much use to him in a lone striker role.

 

Jason holds 'em up Saga knocks em in... Sounds good enough for me. Just feed Jason on Viagra every Friday night so he doesn't get knackered and we have our perfect team.

[wightman35]

We are still in deep,deep trouble. Had we lost the last two games we would have gone totally, but home wins against Preston and Cardiff may have given us and more importantly the team, reason to be hopeful. We now have a chance, but need to pick some points up from the next two matches.

[saintwarwick]

A couple of weeks ago I was showing my negative side :shock: but I am now back to my positive side so yes we will stay up

[DG]

Yes (but then this is Saints we are talking about so we'll probably go into admin and go down anyway)

[wimbornesaint]

I think we might just scrape it!

 

I have a good feeling about the building spirit in the team/club/supporters.

[SNSUN]

I look at the table, and reckon no. 2 wins in a row is massive, but there's still a big gap to make up, and in addition we have to keep performing well until the end of the season.

 

I'm glad the lads are making an effort now, it seems Wotte is doing something right, but ultimately I think the season as a whole until before the Preston game may have spelled our fate.

 

That said, it's not out of the realms of impossibility, but head is currently ruling heart, unless we can string together some more good results. Ipswich and Brum away next? Not easy.

[graemeread1234]

If we go on the form on the last 2 games, we will win every game left of the season so yes.

[saint lard]

Too little too late i think.

Sincerly hope i'm wrong of course.

[PaulSaint]

I reckon we will just do enough & finish 4th from bottom on the last day.

 

PS - Anyone know how much adult pampers cost?

 

[EastleighSoulBoy]

Too little too late i think.

Sincerly hope i'm wrong of course.

 

+1.

[NickG]

exactly 50/50 -who said we can't agree on anything on here?

[NickG]

I look at the table, and reckon no. 2 wins in a row is massive, but there's still a big gap to make up, and in addition we have to keep performing well until the end of the season.

 

I'm glad the lads are making an effort now, it seems Wotte is doing something right, but ultimately I think the season as a whole until before the Preston game may have spelled our fate.

 

That said, it's not out of the realms of impossibility, but head is currently ruling heart, unless we can string together some more good results. Ipswich and Brum away next? Not easy.

 

not going to be easy but its only 3 points and 5 goals, but that would close obviously level points and max of 4 goals if win game in hand - sure Notts For won't be relaxing thinking its a big gap

[Micky]

Not sure - tell you in 12 games time though...

[saintjay77]

I said we would survive on the last poll and still think we can do it. teams around us may all (except Charlton) end up surviving too so Im looking at a few teams above to be dragged into the mix.

[SKATE_HATE]

I seriously believe we will. Out of the next six games I can see us winning one of our next two aways against ipswich and brum and then winning the next four. We've done derby once already and will overcome them again, although I believe they will be the toughest test of the three homes. Watched QPR the other day and their defence was even worse than ours when at it's worse. Blackpool away is a bit dodgy but again think with our newly found confidence we'll overcome them and then it's charlton at home which we will win quite comfortably going into our game in hand against watford knowing that a win will open up a healthy gap between us and the bottom three.

 

Only trouble is everyone else seems to be winning too! All in IMHO of course.

[brightspark]

The good news is that there are a lot of teams clustered just outside the relegation zone, and 1 of them is bound to go on a horror run through the next few weeks. So, if we pull together a half decent run, we could get above someone and into the 21st haven.

 

On the other hand, we've all seen how poor this team can play and if we lose one, the kick in the nuts could trigger 3 or 4 in a row again...

 

I still think we will go down. A 1-0 win scored by a penalty certainly isn't resounding, and although Cardiff are a good team i'm not getting carried away with that result, or the Preston one. If we want to stay up we need to win most of our remaining home games - period.

 

Oh and funny how the poll title turns to "will we stay up" when all is going well!!! Last month it is "will we go down" - funny how the mind works...!?!