The top 4

[G-Dragon]

Arsenal are a shoe-in for top 4. United and Liverpool fighting for the 4th spot.

 

[Bilo]

Our 3 most difficult remaining fixtures are Arsenal, United and Chelsea, with the first two in consecutive matches. If we can get at least 6 points from those three games I'd say we'll finish top 4 at United's expense, especially if we beat them at Anfield in a few weeks time. United have a truly shite set of fixtures coming up, with 4 teams from the top 7 in their next 6 matches, including City and Chelsea consecutively. Like I said in the Newcastle-ManU matchday thread, I don't believe they will still be in the top 4 when they kick off against Everton the end of next month.

I'm really worried about the fact that two out of three big fixtures will be away from home, and United are very capable of boring us to a draw on their day. We'll need at least four points from those three, six would be fantastic as that would include beating Arsenal and/or Chelsea away, which we never do.

 

[G.B]

You should try mid-table nothingness like us, there's fuck all to worry abotu for 9 months a year. It's great.

 

[Bilo]

You should try mid-table nothingness like us, there's fuck all to worry abotu for 9 months a year. It's great.

Well, I follow my old local team from the city I grew up in fairly closely. About to start their 11th consecutive season in the Swedish top division, and the highest they've ever finished is 9th (out of 16). So I know the feeling well enough, although I follow them less as work and other priorities have taken over.

They're called Gefle IF, anyway, if you want to follow a team with a brand new stadium, shirts like Argentina and absolutely no chance in hell of either winning anything, or getting relegated. Basically Aston Villa bar the possible relegation.

 

[mistermagic]

Aren't you Norwegian?

First game of the season tomorrow. New beginning and all that.

 

[Bilo]

Aren't you Norwegian?

First game of the season tomorrow. New beginning and all that.

Swedish cup though, couldn't give a fuck but I'll be there. We'll draw.

 

[Avatar]

This is make or break for United now. If they lose next week to the spuds then it will be crisis time.

 

[Pagnell]

I want them to lose that, but from Liverpool's perspective a draw would be best.

 

[SALTIRE]

Liverpool have Swansea away first though, a tough game as Manure found out. Take care of that and then look to those other games.

 

[HarvSFC]

We only have Tottenham, Man City and Stoke left to play in the top ten this season and hopefully Man City won't have anything to play for on the final day, whilst we've already won against Stoke twice this season. So we should definitely finish in a Europa League spot.

 

[Lukey]

Liverpool have Swansea away first though, a tough game as Manure found out. Take care of that and then look to those other games.

We should do them hopefully.

 

[NiallQuinnDiscoPants]

We only have Tottenham, Man City and Stoke left to play in the top ten this season and hopefully Man City won't have anything to play for on the final day, whilst we've already won against Stoke twice this season. So we should definitely finish in a Europa League spot.

By the rate we're playing I think we might be playing for that 5th place Europa League spot

 

[SALTIRE]

We should do them hopefully.

It was tight as I thought, but Liverpool got the three points; onto Super Sunday™!!!

 

[Lukey]

It was tight as I thought, but Liverpool got the three points; onto Super Sunday™!!!

Yep i cant wait for super sunday me

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

ESPN FC ‏@ESPNFC 7m7 minutes ago

Ronald Koeman tells El Partido de las 12 he would like to coach "a big club" amid Man City and Barcelona links: http://es.pn/1wUXWNk

 

[Pagnell]

Two managers in 12 months going to bigger clubs, combined with the loss of key players to Liverpool, Arsenal and United. Despite last seasons losses not resulting in the relegation battle many predicted this season, Southampton fans will be less than amused if Koeman ends up jumping ship.

 

[allouso]

The games against United and Arsenal will make or break our season. Huge week coming up.

 

[Lukey]

Hopefully we beat Blackburn in the cup too

 

[SALTIRE]

The games against United and Arsenal will make or break our season. Huge week coming up.

3 or 4 points out of those games would be fine, 6 would be the dog's bollocks!

 

[Skinner]

Two managers in 12 months going to bigger clubs, combined with the loss of key players to Liverpool, Arsenal and United. Despite last seasons losses not resulting in the relegation battle many predicted this season, Southampton fans will be less than amused if Koeman ends up jumping ship.

No key players joined Arsenal and Man Utd...

 

[JimJams]

At the time they were, and given the goals dried up for Pelle, Lambert could be seen as a key man that they could still use now. Lovren looks shit at Liverpool but looked far from it at Southampton. He's just been replaced by a better defender in Alderweireld which I still can't get my head round them managing to snag him, even on loan.

 

[Skinner]

Arsenal or Man Utd, JJ.

 

[Pagnell]

Luke Shaw wasn't a key player last season? Amazing that United decided to pay £30m for him in that case. Chambers was less a key player, but still important. Losing them having less impact than expected doesn't mean they weren't key at the time.

 

[Skinner]

Luke Shaw wasn't a key player, Callum Chambers certainly weren't.

 

[Pagnell]

If Luke Shaw wasn't a key player we're deciding the criteria based on how much they have subsequently been missed. In which case, none of the players they lost fit the definition.

 

[SC49]

3 or 4 points out of those games would be fine, 6 would be the dog's bollocks!

You're not beating us at the Emirates. I'd be disappointed with anything less than 3 points.

 

[Skinner]

Well then how do you think he was a key player last season? He wasn't exactly one of their best performers, nor was he in any way a difference maker. I don't think an above average performing left back who's above average at defending (for any age) and average at going forward would be considered an important part of the team and indispensable, even when he was there.

Lambert, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Wanyama, Lovren and Rodriguez were their key players last season, not Shaw and Chambers, who were just standard first team players for Saints.

 

[Pagnell]

You're downplaying his quality last season, perhaps because you can't think of specific incidents he was involved in. He was voted left back in PFA Team Of The Year, that wouldn't happen if he was a 'standard first team player'.

 

[Skinner]

I don't think anybody can say that Shaw was incredibly overhyped by the media last year, which plays a massive part in these awards. Was he the best left back in the league last year? No chance, but there's been cases over the years of players gettings rewards like that when performances didn't warrant it. Don't forget that even Southampton fans themselves were a bit miffed by the praise he was getting.

The only way he can be considered a key player for Southampton is that there wasn't really good enough cover for him were he to get injured/suspended. As I said, in terms of quality, performances and importance to the team? No way.

 

[merseyboyred]

You're not beating us at the Emirates. I'd be disappointed with anything less than 3 points.

I'd be disappointed if we conceded.