SAINTS v Burnley Match Thread

Steve Claridge has been complimentary all season...he (like us) was very impressed with what he saw in the first few months of the season, but (unlike us) he didn't panic when our form dipped because he's not emotionally involved. He talked sense about the need to just start from now and forget the last few months.

 

I get more impressed by Claridge as an analyst almost by the week. Unlike most of them, he talks sense and seems to know what he's talking about. (Two things which don't seem that big, but it's amazing how many pundits don't have them).

His point about treating the rest of the season in isolation now, I thought was very good - and very much along the lines of my own thinking. For a few weeks now, I've been looking ahead to after the Derby match (which is now just a week away), where I would draw a line and say that the run-in to the end of the season starts here - ie taking those remains 15-ish matches in isolation.

 

I too think that Claridge is pretty damn honest about Saints, even if he finds it hard to swallow!

On the subject of the rest of the season, if we prepare like we did in the run in for League one, I think we will be ok. Perhaps Adkins really comes into his own when the pressure is on? I really think we have the squad now, quite excited by our forward line. So pleased at yesterdays result, massive, and performed even better than I thought. I honeslty think we can win at West Ham.

 

Claridge is a decent pundit better than those you get on MOTD

 

I don't like him.

But he gives good honest analysis' of every game.

He has been very complimentary of us.

He also said how Portsmouth have only got themselves to blame for their current situation.

You know ours and Pompey's position is hurting him inside...

 

And considerably cheaper! Hansen gets a ludicrous amount of money!

 

Months ago, back when we were living large, I said that if we got to the conclusion of the West Ham game in 2nd, I felt that we would be strong favourites to go up automatically. Unless we lose against the Hammers and Birmingham win against Hull and Barnsley, we're set to do just that. Still plenty of football to be played, but as things stand I like our odds.

 

Why? It's not like he is a Pompey fan FFS. Grow up...

 

Indeed not, but RLGB knows full well that Claridge was born in Portsmouth, brought up in Titchfield, played for and managed Pompey in his exceedingly long career, and so cannot disassociate Claridge from Pompey. But Claridge has also played for many teams in the southern area, and on the south coast and, although he has watched Saints many a time over the last few seasons, not all of those occasions have been on a professional basis. I believe that sometimes he has paid for his ticket too, and you know what that means..!