Saints look to keep the momentum going against Cardiff
Saints need to beat Cardiff on Sunday for several reasons, not least to push them into the play off spots.
But perhaps the main reason is that they need beat themselves before they can hope to put in a decent push for promotion.
By that i mean that need tp prove to themselves that they can shore up a defence that in the main hasnt looked to bad, but has ruined its reputation by a series of horrendous blunders and a lack of concentration at crucial times.
It was this that cost us automatic promotion last season and it could be said cost us the chance of beating Derby, each goal against the rams was a result of individual error in the play offs.
So Saints have to show the World that they are ready to put that all behind them and put in a run that stakes their claim for a promotion spot.
Cardiff is the first of these games and the Welshmen see their chance to go one better than last years 2-2 draw, ironically just one of those games that I have just been referring to.
For his part George burley has to show he is the man to lead Saints into the Premier, he has got to show he has rid himself of that trait from last season, that just as we got a run together, the manager would ruin it with a baffling team selection.
He has a few decisions to make for Sunday and he has to make them n a manner that convinces the fans that he has learnt the lessons from last season.
Saints can win this game and they can go on and beat Bristol City and follow that up by three points against Burnley as they did last term.
If they do this then they will have posted notice that they can push on in a way that they couldnt last season, if they dont then they face a long hard winter of discontent.