x

Saints V Wolverhampton Wanderers The Preview

Could Saints be in the Top Ten come 5pm on Saturday ? well if they beat Wolves they will be level on points with them and in with a good chance.

Wolves arrive at St Mary's in 7th place only 3 points ahead of Saints and could find themselves level pegging with us if we can dispatch them as we did last season.

But we should approach this game with a degree of caution, hopes are high and it is often when we are in that state that we are brought back to earth with a bang, bad teams don't become good teams overnight and conversely nor do good teams become bad, I always thought we were a good team with a poor defence, we have improved at the back of late, but we should be aware that there was no miracle cure, it was a case of hard work and more than a bit of luck.

But we should not be under any misapprehensions that suddenly everything is perfect, we have improved and we need to improve a little more, perhaps the urgency to sign someone in the transfer window is not as great as it was, but it is still there, but as Ralph Hasenhuttl has stated it is no longer a "must", it is now a "can"

So we have some foundations to work on and we can build on them, but there will be bad moments and there will be good, just as much as winning 5 games out of the last 6 is not a guide that we will continue to maintain that form, a few defeats along the way are going to happen and when we do we need to take them in context and not use them to press the panic button.

Ralph will continue to do what he has done well over the past couple of months and that is put out a team that will compete, I don't expect much change from the starting line up against Leicester, perhaps the odd tweak with maybe Djenepo coming in, but apart from that I think and indeed hope that he puts out a side that as at Leicester, earns the right to play and then imposes itself on the game.

So go to St Mary's support the team and more to the point enjoy supporting the team, a few months ago this had the makings of a bad season, some would have you the worst ever, now it could actually become one of our best, truth is that perhaps it won't, but lets enjoy the ride and like in 2016 and indeed 2017 we might just surprise ourselves at how good it actually was by the end of it.

What to read next:

Ogden Family Investment Confirmed!
The investment of the Ogden Family has now been confirmed by the club along with a new board of directors being announced.
Goals For Cure - Joe Thompson Fundraiser
Goals For Cure returns to the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday and there are plenty of famous faces already confirmed!
Dale Announce Released List
With the season now done and dusted, teams are now announcing their released lists and Dale have decided to go early with theirs.
Refwatch: Southend United v Rochdale
Dale’s final game of the season at Southend United on Saturday will be refereed by PAUL JOHNSON.
Refwatch: Rochdale v Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood’s first visit to Spotland on Tuesday will be refereed by OLIVER MACKEY.
TVOS Preview: Rochdale v Dorking Wanderers
Rochdale AFC’s matchday programme – The Voice of Spotland – is back for Saturday’s Vanarama National League fixture against Dorking Wanderers.
Refwatch: Rochdale v Dorking Wanderers
Dale’s penultimate home fixture of the season against Dorking Wanderers on Saturday will be refereed by JOHN MULLIGAN.
Rochdale v Boreham Wood - Game Off
Somewhat predictably, tonight's game at home to Boreham Wood has been postponed.
Refwatch: Rochdale v Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood’s first visit to Spotland on Tuesday will be refereed by OLIVER MACKEY.
Refwatch: Oldham Athletic v Rochdale
Dale’s penultimate away game of the season at Oldham Athletic on Saturday will be refereed by RUEBYN RICARDO.