Yes the recent three game run against the top clubs did not yield any points but Saints can move forward with confidence that the defeats were more down to bad luck with injuries rather than the quality of the side.

We all knew that the trio of games against Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United would be tough, what we didn't know was that we would see a run of injuries that would test most sides in this division, especially when those injuries were to key players.

Of course football is always full of ifs and buts, but if Schneiderlin had stayed on against manchester City we could easily have got a point, we so nearly got a point at Arsenal after our walking wounded soldiered on with 10 men in the dying stages and finally to out play United with so many missing was a big psycological boost.

What it showed was the side has enough class in it to counter most setbacks and as the missing players start to return then we can move forward with a confidence that we can continue our good form in the League, perhaps a top four place will not be the end result, but we are very capable of finishing somewhere near.

What we do have to cut out though is the lapses in concentration and mistakes, Jose Fone was guilty at Arsenal in the final stages when he should have cleared the ball cleanly but slashed it firstly into his own arm and the subsequent deflection fell kindly for the Gunners, then against United he was again caught napping, in the past Jose has been guilty of these errors, but last season and the start of this he sharpened up his act.

But he is not the only guilty party and several other players need to look at their performance at vital moments.

But these are things that happen from time to time and they can be used positively and Im sure Ronald Koeman will do this.

So with a positive attitude going forward we can go forward with confidence that the defeats were down to some bad luck more than anything, sometimes when the going gets tough the luck doesnt go with you, no matter how hard you try it punches you in the face at every turn and thats what its been like for Saints over the past few weeks.

Now is the time to turn it around and we can do so knowing that if we play to our ability then we will beat more teams than we lose to, there is nothing wrong with our squad that a few injuries healing and a return to form cannot put right very quickly, we are still in a great place, now we have to propel ourselves forward and start letting the others worry again.

Photo: Action Images

darthvader added 10:44 - Dec 11 Those errors would have been of little consequence if we took our chances .
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