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Saints Can Make It Three In A Row To Virtually Guarantee Survival
Saints Can Make It Three In A Row To Virtually Guarantee Survival
Wednesday, 3rd Apr 2013 10:12

Saints travel to the Madejski Stadium on Saturday knowing that if they can make it three Premier League wins in a row they are almost over the line.

There are those that are talking of tenth place rather than relegation at the moment, but Im a firm believer in setting targets and achieving them before taking on the next one and as it stands at the moment we are nearer that 3rd relegation spot (4 pts) than we are 10th in the table (5pts) and until that changes then our first objective this season will not have been achieved.

A few weeks back with the prospect of Liverpool and Chelsea visiting St Mary's there werent too many who would have predicted two straight home wins, perhaps the fact that even with those six points under our belt we are still only four points from the bottom three emphasises that its tight down the bottom and we are not yet out of the woods, indeed the season we were relegated from the premier last time, at this stage we were out of the bottom four with 27 points from 31 games and confident we would push on to safety, we earned only a further 5 points from those last 7 games and went down, ironically the total we have now, 34, would have kept us up.

So we need to concentrate on getting well clear of the drop zone and then and only then can we look upwards, we have yet to win three in a row this season and now is a great time to do it, we are a team in form and should fear nothing travelling to the bottom club in the division. If we gain those 3 points I feel that we will be on the cusp of safety, I have said all along that 38 points will be the benchmark to be relegated and that our targets for the season should be geared towards that and I still feel that to be the case, that being so a win at Reading will leave us only a point off that and with a reasonable run in we can play the remaining half dozen games without fear.

Fear is what relegates sides, we found that out in 2005 and countless other teams have found it to be true, indeed look at Sunderland, they are now fearful, it has promptted them to sack an experienced manager in Martin O'Neill and appoint one who has limited experience and none at the highest levels as a manager, if the Mackems go down it will be down to fear, the fact they didnt keep their nerve in the final run in and as we also know from the 1990's thats what saves teams who looked doomed and drags those who thought they were safe to a relegation they thought unlikely with a few weeks to go.

The sooner we get that fear out of the way with another win and we can finsih the season with a flourish, we have done 3/4 of the job, now is the time to finish it and be on the verge of the finishing line with half a dozen games to go.

With respect to Reading and of course Nigel Adkins, we should be confident of beating them, we need to show that from the start, there is a lingering feeling amongst some about fate and meeting Nigel in his new job now, I dont buy into that, Nigel Adkins has nothing to prove as a manager, but he cant change a poor side into a good one overnight, even Sir Alex Ferguson would struggle to save Reading with the side they have, they will have to go for it on Saturday and that will perhaps take them out of their comfort zone and we can reap the benefits.

The message is make it three in a row and we can then start to talk about next season as a Premier League club, until then we need to concentrate on making sure that bottom three stays well behind us, after all defeat at Reading could drag us right back into it, forget 12th place what matter is points and we need to be more than four above the drop zone before we talk of tenth.

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saintwiz added 11:11 - Apr 3
'Nigel Adkins has nothing to prove as a manager, but he cant change a poor side into a good one overnight, even Sir Alex Ferguson would struggle to save Reading with the side they have.'

You can't polish a turd, trust me I've tried many times.
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slynch added 11:12 - Apr 3
Your points-target theory seems to have been trashed by your own historical observations in paragraph 2. Which ironically is what Saints will do to Reading this weekend.

Keep up the good work StNick.
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legod7 added 11:27 - Apr 3
Fully agree with you Nick. Even though we are 12th I would trade that for a guaranteed 17th place at the end of the season
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thedelldays added 11:48 - Apr 3
When was the last time we won 3 in a row in the top flight?
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tiptop added 12:07 - Apr 3
thedelldays

Think from what i can see quickly we last won 3inarow in 2003-4
1-0 against Manur
2-0 against Wolves
0-1 against Tottenham (a)

I think it will be a tough game against Reading. The players will have an extra edge and want to prove they are still better than our lot still after beating us to the Chmpnshp last year. There is not a great deal of difference in the sides that will face eachother. Reading will be treating it like a cup final i think. If we can hold them off and deflate them its ours for the taking. As they have proved often they dont go down without a fight
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SonicBoom added 13:55 - Apr 3
NA will also be acutely aware of where our weak points are and will doubtless focus his plan around them.
We have to be up for the fight.
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bstokesaint added 14:08 - Apr 3
I honestly don't think we've played with fear at any point this season (cue our gung ho approach against Man City on Day 1). Naivety yes, fear no. This team has come through back-to-back promotions and hence a winning mentality has set in. So whilst I also agree about the initial target of avoiding relegation first and foremost I don’t think we should be dwelling too much on smashing Reading as the pivotal point of the season. Look what happened against QPR when it was billed a huge six pointer and Reading will be desperate, not pretty!

There are eight teams below us and in my opinion both sets of Hoops are doomed. Out of the remaining teams I believe we have the more quality players and one of the easier run-ins. I’d like to thing without getting blasé that unlike some fans the ‘R’ word won’t even cross our players’ minds and that unlike Saints Premier League teams of yesteryear this team will push on and better the best team I can remember in recent years under Gordon Strachan.
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JazzyJeff added 14:13 - Apr 3
I have every confidence in the lads !
as long, as Nick says, they concentrate and give Reading the respect they still deserve even though they're bottom. Then, and only then, I'm thinking of four in a row or maybe even more (in dreamland now !)
I just hope MoPo goes with Davis and co and does not start with Ramirez.
COYR
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