Even though the defeat at Crystal Palace was very disappointing, results elsewhere mean that Saints are still the same number of points behind Tottenham Hotspur in 5th place.

Football is always about "if's and but's" and if saints had won at Palace then sitting in 7th place knowing that if we beat them next weekend we would jump over Spurs would have been very satisfying, however one fact is that even though we lost on Saturday, we did not lose ground on the top five.

Lots of draws by teams around up mean that the defeat at Selhurst Park was not as damaging in terms of losing ground as it might have been and Newcastle's shock win at White Hart Lane means that we are still only five points behind fifth place.

Al we need to do now is beat Spurs on Saturday and if Newcastle can do it, then so can we, this season's Premier League table is very tight and Saints supporters should remember that good teams do not become bad ones overnight, four league game ago we were second top of the current form table, things have gone to pot since then, but our luck has to change and we have to make it change.

What better time to do that then this coming Saturday and what better team to do it against than Tottenham Hotspur.

This League is still wide open, we have every chance of emulating last season's position come the end of the season, but what we can't do is think that every bad run is a doomsday scenario, we have to stay focused, stay calm and stay behind the team, if we do so then our luck will change, we will slip back into top gear, win a few games and climb the table.

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simmo400 added 11:56 - Dec 14 Thinking were be lucky to pick up another point this year. Toothless and erratic at the back. One good thing is that Gazza had some game time and made the scoreline respectable.
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codge added 13:13 - Dec 14 It's not that we didn't lose ground on the top five, it's we didn't GAIN ground again when we had the chance to.
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ericofarabia added 14:30 - Dec 14 That is what makes it even worse .... where we could have been!!
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IWOZTHERE added 14:40 - Dec 14 I wish you'd stop 'iffing' Nick, it's dreamland. We are not in a disastrous position, but only by default, certainly not because of the high quality of our performances. We've been unlucky this season with injuries, the Wanyama issue, VVD's late arrival etc. but MY 'if' would be...... Given the eccentric nature of the Prem. this season, and with a modest loosening of the 'purse strings' we could have been 'nailed on' top six and with a 'shout' at the top four'.

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TimSaint added 15:45 - Dec 14 On the other hand - we are deservedly 12th and could have been 13th if WBA had held on for another few mins at Anfield. Too many teams below us picked up points this weekend and it is possible that Chelsea could tonight. Yes the expectation has been raised with the fans, but it doesn't appear that the bar has been raised with Ron and the boys. It is so frustrating that with everyone beating everyone else, if we had shown anything like the form of last season, we would have been sitting way up there in the top 4. Still, if this trend continues and we put on a bit of a run, there is no reason why we cannot challenge for a top 8 again.

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halftimeorange added 19:07 - Dec 14 I'm not afraid to say that I think we're on a long slide and whilst I hope I'm wrong I don't see Saints finishing in the top half of the table. Three weeks ago you could get 500-1 against Saints being relegated. Today you can get 65-1. It isn't just one player not performing, it's most of them. Even Van Dijk who initially looked good seems jaded. These are not good signs. This season unfancied clubs have put up more resistance and showed more determination than we have. We don't look as though we have goals in us. When did we last really give an opposing keeper a really uncomfortable game. Not this season. If we have gained no more points by the New Year we will not be just uncomfortable, we will be in trouble. I need convincing that won't be the case. Which clubs do you fancy us to beat as we are now. Not many.

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A1079 added 19:10 - Dec 14 What is the point of keep saying If? We didn't win, we didn't beat Villa or Stoke, we haven't scored enough goals and we are making too many mistakes and all this in a year which the PL is full of poor to average opposition at best. So, no matter how you try to dress it, we are not doing well and there are no points for IF. I like the fact Nick that you try to turn a negative into a positive and it is laudable but it is dangerous also. RK has to sort the problem out and he too seems like a rabbit in headlights lately, not knowing what his best side is, not knowing who to play in what position. I should say, in all honesty, I think the problems have been there all season, long before this poor run, but we got away with it a bit. It was there at Newcastle and at home to Everton it was shown up for all to see and several 45 minutes even in games which we managed to grab a win. Don't take this wrong, it is as important to get behind the team and manager now as it is when they are doing well, perhaps more so, but we are the paying public, we cannot effect performances on the pitch and in a constructive way, we have to point out the shortcomings especially when those shortcomings are now beginning to start looking like more than just a blip. Hopefully, we can start against Spurs to turn a corner, and the fans need to concentrate on getting behind the team and not pointless barracking of our ex-manager which will only work against us.

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aceofthebase added 20:38 - Dec 14 The quality of our football took a dive over a year ago. Great football with Adkins turned into good football under the POX and lately has been below par.
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1970 added 20:50 - Dec 14 We have the points in the bag so we wont be in trouble and with Forster coming back is massive, add to J-rod we will get some more points before the end of the season but we will get some pasting's, we cant handle runners, Classie is not a DM, Stekelenberg is only slightly better than Davis, you just cant turn up with handicaps like that in the prem, add Yoshida to the right back spot and we are nailed on bottom six, we had one tame shot on target against Stoke that Butland just picked up, woeful against Liverhampton, and we were no better than Villa , the youth teams conceded seven twice in two games, mean while Ralf has been in the states telling every-one that we pay our players peanuts, no wonder there heads have dropped, all we can do is get behind our team and see if we can lift them to beat the y*** but I doubt it coyr .

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IWOZTHERE added 22:12 - Dec 14 I understand the 'gloom' but strangely I don't feel as bad about it as most on here because I've felt it for a while now. At least it's now being recognised and perhaps something will be done about it! It's certainly time to stop blaming individuals. It's going to be 'backs to the wall' whoever plays until the 'window' opens and then we'll see what RK and the board are made of!

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BoondockSaint added 04:01 - Dec 15 I'm not disappointed anymore since I don't expect us to win. The frustrating thing is this is the year to shake up the table. When you look at other teams beating the rich clubs it's because they aren't afraid of them and they play like a team. Saints are starting to look like a bunch of players showing off their skills so other teams come calling. When we sign a new player, it's "oh I'll get my toe in England with this little club and then move on." We need more players with GRIT. Yes, we can say we climbed the leagues in a couple of years, which I am thrilled with, but if you remember, Saints dominated those leagues up until they needed wins against weak teams to secure the first spot, but didn't, just faded and had to rely on other teams losing so we could get automatic promotion in second. Talent camouflaged this flaw, but now that the talent has left, it's all too apparent. RK needs to get a couple of hard men in at the window, players who give their all and won't stand for others not playing hard every minute-something RK seems to not care about.

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bstokesaint added 13:22 - Dec 15 I still think the word "relegation" sounds a bit strong. We're not a bad team team, but we are currently a very average one. We're not getting pastings like Villa. I still personally think that the players are letting themselves down. As Boondock says they need to start showing some determination and fight for each other. We're too lightweight. Just look at Chelsea below us. They have some amazing players, but they seem to a pushover right now. No-one is scared of them and the team spirit looks to be in tatters.

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BoondockSaint added 13:45 - Dec 15 bstoke-a side note on Chelsea: Did you see Vardy take out Costa? Perfect example of punch the biggest bully in the nose and all of his pals run and hide.
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aceofthebase added 18:30 - Dec 15 19 points to safety!
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