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Saints Need To Regain That Winning Mentaliy
Thursday, 7th May 2015 12:58

After Saints defeat at Sunderland it is clear that there is a little something missing from Saints play of late and that is the belief that when we go onto a pitch that there will be only one winner.

A few months ago Saints had a winning mentality both on and off the pitch, when they crossed from the dressing room to touchline they looked like they thought that they were going to win and the supporters felt it too.

However now that feeling is not so strong, so much so that we visit Leicester with many predicting defeat rather than victory, something that would have been unthinkable a month or two ago.

Of course there are many reasons why the attitude had changed, injury has played a big part, there does not seem to have been one game since before Xmas where we have not been missing a key player or two through an injury, indeed the loss of Fraser Forster has shown what a key he was to the defensive side of the game.

Off the field too there has been an undercurrent of criticism from a certain minority in the supporter base that has eventually brought in a scapegoat mentality, Pelle, Long, Mane, Tadic, Pelle(again), Forster, Steven Davis and James Ward Prowse have all at some stage of the season come in for abuse of varying degrees of intensity, this has not helped in keeping that winning mentality going, how can a team expect to win games when at any given time at least one player sometimes two are being given stick by their own supporters.

Indeed given that we are having one of our best seasons in three decades, many would find it strange that so many of our regular squad are seemingly so poor.

Fraser Forster is a prime example, many were questioning his ability after what they saw as being a soft goal or two, certainly the last few games have shown that Forster's contribution to the team was far more than just shot stopping.

So we need to get back that winning mentality and as much as Ronald Koeman needs to work in the dressing room, the fans in the stands need to do their bit and get behind each and every one of our players in the final run in.

Photo: Action Images



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BoondockSaint added 14:23 - May 7
You would have to go back to January. No intensity, will to win, or grit. It seems many players have taken the same attitude of many on this site: "We're only little Southampton, we should be happy in mid-table."

We had Champions League within our grasp and let it slip away against teams lower on the table. These chances don't come that often.

I don't see how you can blame supporters for being critical of players who continually miss sitters. Yes, even the best can miss every now and again, but week in week out? A true professional would use criticism to prove everyone wrong.

Hopefully Koeman will use these last few games to see who he needs to replace.

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corkcitysaint added 20:05 - May 7
Totally agree with Boondocksaint's comments above. We need more of an iron will or winners mentality if we are to push on to the next level.

As for criticism of players, I don't agree with hurling abuse at any player but I think we can critique their performance and pass comment on it on a forum such as this. We're fans, we're greedy, we want every player to be perfect! At any match though, we need to get behind the team and roar them on to success.
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