[Albion] Would you prefer to be in Southampton’s position?

[Hugo Rune]

With 4 more critical points than us, a set-piece master provider in Ward-Prowse, a supreme mountain-of-a-man attacking and defending force in the box with Vestergaard and a clinical striker in Ings (the likes we can only dream about), would you swap places?

They have one point from their last 9 EPL games. Yes, they take chances but they are the opposite to us, they can’t create chances anymore. Just one shot on target vs Everton yesterday which came at the end of the match when they were desperately throwing everyone forward.

Is this grass really greener a few miles down the coast or should we be confident that the ball will somehow find it’s way into the net (through pure chance of need be) for us whilst we keep creating so many goal scoring opportunities?

 

[Icy Gull]

Points on the board count for quite a bit imo

 

[Mellotron]

Short term yes, medium and long term no.

 

[Clive Walker]

a team that has comfortably avoided relegation vs a team that is always in a relegation battle.

 

[Icy Gull]

It doesn't take nostradamus to see that if current trends continue, we'll be the ones comfortably avoiding relegation in future seasons.

You are assuming we stay up, which may not happen

 

[Icy Gull]

Despite our problems, it is still very unlikely we'll go down.

If we do go down, then that changes everything.

I agree, but I am a glass half empty person, which is why I reacted with the fact that I always look down rather than up in the thread about how worried we are about Sheffield, WBA and Fulham. There is no right answer is there, until the fat lady is in full voice?

 

[Baldseagull]

The difference for Saints is that their xg has reverted towards the mean, I am still hopeful ours will, meaning we should we win all remaining games about 6-0.

 

[keaton]

Short term yes, medium and long term no.

I dunno aren't Saints missing a lot of players. I think thier poor form started when all 4 full backs were injured. If we both stay up and keep managers I would still think they'll be above is next season

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

No but I'd take Ings.

 

[Mellotron]

I dunno aren't Saints missing a lot of players. I think thier poor form started when all 4 full backs were injured. If we both stay up and keep managers I would still think they'll be above is next season

Yeah but I love our young, talented squad and (by and large) the football we play. I'd be them for the rest of this season purely to stay up, then be us again.

I'm describing an odd situation, I grant you.

 

[Postman Pat]

They still have to play:
Sheff Utd (A)
Us (H)
Burnley (H)
West Brom (A)
Fulham (H)

So their fate is in their own hands, but lose a few of those and it will be squeaky bum time.

Not sure if the FA Cup QF against Bournemouth is a distraction or a positive - but will definitely have an impact on their already stretched squad.

 

[Randy McNob]

Hampshire?

 

[Swansman]

If their football was any better than their results, I would have preferred to be in their position. But their results pretty much reflects what they've done on the pitch, and I think they have a lot of reasons to worry.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Like Newcastle, they're in a bit of bother too.

They have a decent manager but a really average and very thin squad. As I said on the stats thread, they really outperformed their xG during their good run and this run of results was always likely. Their result against us was typical of their luck then, hugely outplayed and fluked an undeserved win. Against Villa they won 4.3 but again were outplayed and relied on JWP scoring from 2 direct free kicks. You can't rely on direct free kicks always going in and a player like Ings, who as good as he is, to get you out of trouble all the time with his injury history.

Their injury record this season is really not as bad as being made out either, it's been no worse than ours or any other side in the league. Palace are the side who have been most troubled by injuries this season.

I strongly fancy Sheffield United to beat them this weekend and then they really will start shitting it here.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Hampshire?

Smarty pants!

 

[scooter1]

It's looking likely that Ings will be off in the summer, so unless they can find a replacement then things might be tough next season too.
In answer to the OP, points on the board count for everything and they have to play all the sides below them. I think they'll stay up, and they'll be above us

 

[golddene]

Yeah but I love our young, talented squad and (by and large) the football we play. I'd be them for the rest of this season purely to stay up, then be us again.

I'm describing an odd situation, I grant you.

Likewise, can't we just have their position and our team ?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

They still have to play:
Sheff Utd (A)
Us (H)
Burnley (H)
West Brom (A)
Fulham (H)

So their fate is in their own hands, but lose a few of those and it will be squeaky bum time.

Newcastle have almost identical fixtures:

West Brom (A)
Us (A)
Burnley (A)
Sheff Utd (H)
Fulham (A)

 

[Weststander]

I wish we had 30 points.

They'll start getting results soon. We all know when.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

No, because they are dog shit. Yesterday's game was so dull I was toying with asking my pal to change channels so we could watch something more exciting, like Fred Dinenage Murder Casebook