Looking back and to the future

Ok, so I've been lazy at updating, sorry. Now the apologies are out the way, the reflection and hoping can begin.

So Saints' excellent end to the season was so disappointingly ended by the worst footballing team in the championship!! A real pity that Derby made it to the premiership by beating the two most attractive footballing teams in the division, Saints and West Brom. Saints' problem this season was that we were too weak as a team. We didn't really have any tough players, haven't for years!

Despite the penalty shoot-out defeat to Derby I came away really proud of the team and the way they played. Now we have to take all the positives from this season and look to build on them. We have a young team and some great players. Bale has gone, which is a real shame (especially as its to Spurs), but good luck to him and we still produced some great performances without him last season (like the playoff 2nd leg). It doesn't look like we should lose too many more players (for non-financial reasons) in the summer. I hope Baird can be persuaded to stay and we can get young Best on a new contract.

I did say non-financial reasons though. The club obviously lose the parachute payments next season and will need some new financing or a major reduction in costs (bye-bye players). So if there is to be a takeover who might it be? Well, in the last few months there's been mention of a consortium fronted by Graeme Souness and a possible bid by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. No news has been coming out of the club recently, as it is in an offer period, and so cannot legally release information. I guess it is a case of wait and see, and HOPE!! New investment into the club would be fantastic. I don't want an Abramovich to come in and spend £300 million, but to secure the clubs future and develop the squad for a strong title push next year.

To succeed next year Saints need to bring in at least one big, strong centre back, a midfield bully and a creative spark. If we can keep Best, Rasiak, Jones and maybe even Saganowski (unlikely!) we have a pretty good strike force.

2007/08 'should' be a great year for Saints, new investment (hopefully), a real push for automatic promotion and watching Derby struggle miserably in the Premiership:)

Wolves 0 Southampton 6 !!!!!!!!!

I'm a believer again!! Whilst annoying to see what saints can do and think where we should be in the league, I again believe we can still make the playoffs. Saganowski got a majestic hat-trick, Surman finished brilliantly from a great ball by Wright and it was nice to see Leon Best finishing off a brilliantly worked move by Surman and Dyer. At the back the goalkeeping was brilliant, if he plays half as well against Luton, then hopefully Davis won't get a look in. Roll on Luton!!

Can't be bothered to describe much more when the video does it so much better. Watch and enjoy!!

Wolves 0 Southampton 6 !!!!!!!!!
Uploaded by ph11be

Something to improve the mood!!

After an awful last fortnight, culminating in a atrocious home defeat to Colchester, I felt that something was needed to lift the mood and remind us all that Saints can play, win and still push for a playoff place!! Come on you Saints!!!

Saints 5 - 2 Barnsley


QPR 0 - 2 Saints


Saints 1 - 0 Ipswich


Thanks to SFCHighlightMan on youtube for the vids

Saints 2 - 2 Cardiff

Apologies for an extended absence, work, illness and disillusionment with saints have kept me away.

Last nights match probably signaled the end of Saints season. I was convinced of that last night, although in the warm light of day, may its not completely over. As I've said every match for the past month, the next two games are crucial. Actually, the next 8 games are crucial, plus hopefully another 3.

I felt team selection for yesterdays game was a bit strange. Up front, Bradley W-P contributed little (apart from a tap-in), surely even Rasiak would have given us something more, or even young Leon Best who's back from loan bang-on-form. In midfield we lacked a natural passer of the ball in the middle, which was evident throughout. Pele and Viafara are too similar to play in the centre together. It needed a Jermaine Wright or Guthrie (or even Idiakez?!) to get the ball moving. Skacel, as usual, gave little to the side, and we looked much better with the introduction of Nathan Dyer. He put himself about, got stuck in and showed some real pace and skill. Surman had a solid game, without being spectacular. Up front Saganowski looked good and it was a huge surprise that he was replaced, instead of Wright-Phillips!! At the back, Bale did little apart from a couple of driving runs. Baird and Claus were solid, and Powell seemed to improve after taking a few blows to the head. Goals wise, the first was a piledriver from Baird after the ball was rolled across to him from a freekick. The second was a tap-in for Bradley after a good header from Saga.

Thought the overall performance was poor, and at no point (even half-time) could I see us ending victorious. We lacked creativity going forward and solidity at the back. If we are to stand any chance of making the play-offs, let alone promotion, we'll need a big improvement.

Saints 0 Derby 1

What a disappointment!!!! Convinced saints were going to win and begin a concerted promotion push. The game started well enough, with Saints creating some good opportunities. New signing Marek Saganowski, looked bright and went close twice within the first 3 minutes. The first drew a good save from the derby keeper and the second flew just over from a difficult position. He obviously couldn't keep it up but turned in a promising performance, and it was a little disappointing that he was substituted when he was. Saints should indeed have been 4-0 up by the end of the first half after creating several good chances, but each time the keeper would make a save or the luck wasn't with us. In particular Rasiak had a glorious opportunity with space inside the area, but his placed effort crept millimetres past the far post.

The second half was less dominated by the Saints, but Derby still offered little in the way of attacking. They turned in a solid, physical display, lacking in skill and flair, i'd say they were the Bolton of the championship! Then as time was getting on, predictably Howard got in to score an undeserved winner. A frustrating match, with some improved attacking play from the home side, providing evidence that the return of the more creative midfield players will strengthen our challenge. But we really need to start putting away our chances when we get them. The result leaves us looking back over our shoulder now, trying to make sure of at least a play-off place.

There were injury worries over gareth bale, who spent the end of the first half limping badly, recovering a little for the second half (although still lacking some zip) and Rudi skacel, who seemed to have a back problem and briefly left the field, before later having some treatment.

Man of the Match: Chris Baird for another superb defensive performance. Although he was run close by Jhon Viafara.

Weekend Preview

Team news: Kenwyne Jones is still a doubt after picking up an injury on wednesday. If he doesn't make it, then it looks like new signing Marek Saganowski will make his debut, making it an all polish attack. Another injury doubt from midweek was Kelvin Davis, although it is thought he should be ok, and his injuries could have been much worse. Idiakez could be in line for a return to midfield after his strong showing from the bench midweek. This could be for Powell who is definitely out, with Pele dropping to centre back. Alternatively, Baird could slot inside, with Ostland or Makin stepping in at rightback. Whoever plays, it seems that Saints are starting to get some key players back, and it feels like the squad is looking quite strong now and will only get stronger with the future return of belmadi and surman.

Derby's lineup is harder to predict with Billy Davies rotating his squad successfully, with even Matty Oakley (now derby club captain) not guarenteed a starting place on his return to st mary's. There is a reasonable chance they will give debuts to some of their new signings from january, James McEveley, Tyrone Mears and Jon Macken.

Championship weekend predictions

Friday
Cardiff - Barnsley 3-0

Saturday
Colchester - Birmingham 2-2
Palace - Ipswich 3-1
Hull - West Brom 1-1
Leicester - Luton 2-0
Norwich - Leeds 4-1
QPR - Burnley 0-0
Sheff Wed - Preston 1-1
Southampton - Derby 3-1
Stoke - Southend 2-0
Sunderland - Coventry 1-0
Wolves - Plymouth 1-1

Saints best day in the last two years!!!!

Yesterday turned out to be the best day for the Saints in a long while. A 2-1 victory over sheffield wednesday moved saints to within one point of second place in the championship. But possibly more importantly, the transfer window came to a close with Gareth Bale still a Saints player:-)

Last nights match was a good one for saints in more than just the result. There were plus points all round. Baird was again brilliant putting in a man of the match performance. Rasiak's trickery with flicks and back-heels galore in the first half, idiakez looked good and hungry coming back and the pressure of more competition up front seemed to work as kenny put away a couple of beautifully taken goals, taking him to 11 for the season. The only apparent downside was that he later picked up a thigh injury which makes him doubtful for saturdays huge game at home to Derby. If you missed the match, check out the goals and reaction below, notice rasiak's backheel and kenny's dancing:-)

On the Bale front, it appears that he snubbed a £10 million + 18 month loan-back deal with spurs (despite saints allowing him talks) in favour of a possible move to man utd in the summer. I'd be sad to see him leave any time. But maybe when we're in the premiership we can tempt him to stay a little longer with a big money deal.

Bring on Derby!!!!