What do you expect from our next four league games?

I wondered what people thought of Southampton's next four league matches. It seems that optimism and confidence has returned, with the additional fillip of players coming back from injury and suspension, to Saints after their 3-0 win over Everton. However, looking at their next four games there are few easy ones and two of them are against teams who have just edged them out, possibly somewhat fortunately in the last month. Southampton are beginning to look solid once more, nevertheless with an intensive couple of weeks of games and a thin squad it is difficult to know what may happen.

The Christmas period is often seen as a make or break period, with any team that does well strongly consolidating their position. Despite this I think 4 or 6 points is achievable in these four games (so long as we do not lose on Boxing day) and would be a good return despite the likelihood that we may slide a little down the table. Looking at the teams around us it would appear none of our competitors have an easy set of games, except possibly Manchester United. How do you see the shake up going or should teams like Swansea be considered?


Southampton
Crystal Palace (A)
Chelsea (H)
Arsenal (H)
Man U (A)

Manchester United
Newcastle (H)
Tottenham (A)
Stoke (A)
Southampton (H)

West Ham
Chelsea (A)
Arsenal (H)
West Brom (H)
Swansea (A)

Arsenal
QPR (H)
West Ham (A)
Southampton (A)
Stoke (H)

Tottenham
Leicester (A)
Man U (H)
Chelsea (H)
Crystal Palace (A)

 

Was thinking four points, but we are getting some strength & options what with JWP's dead balls & Reeds tenacity, so I'll go with an optimistic 7.
Hell yeah.

 

I'd be delighted with 6 points.

 

Southampton
Crystal Palace (A)Win
Chelsea (H) Draw
Arsenal (H) Win
Man U (A) Lose

Manchester United
Newcastle (H) Win
Tottenham (A) Lose
Stoke (A) Win
Southampton (H) Win

West Ham
Chelsea (A) Lose
Arsenal (H) Lose
West Brom (H) Win
Swansea (A) Draw

Arsenal
QPR (H) Win
West Ham (A) Win
Southampton (A) Lose
Stoke (H) Win

Tottenham
Leicester (A) Win
Man U (H) Win
Chelsea (H) Lose
Crystal Palace (A) Win

 

3 points.anything over that is a bonus

 

I would be pleased with 4 points...win against Palace and draw with Arsenal.

 

I cannot see any of the teams winning more than half!

 

Beat Palace and Arsenal, lose to Chelsea and Man Utd.

 

Hopefully we'll get something at Palace, but I take nothing for granted. We might have to settle for a draw.

The next two games are at home, and I like to think we should approach every home game as favourites. That's probably unrealistic when the opposition is Chelsea, but I'll be going along on New Years pretty hopeful of beating Arsenal.

Man Utd at Old Trafford? I'd take a draw. They're good but they're not all that.

So that's 5 points, possibly 7.

 

2-4 points

 

I just hope that we win at least one game. Zero, one or two points would be a little sad.

 

Don't fear, we have the spring back in our step, blip over, ready for new blip.

 

Palace away is crucial, 3 points there and confidence is restored.

Chelsea will obviously be tough, will be interesting to see how RK sets us out tactically after his masterstroke against Everton. Mourinho tore us a new one last season, when he counteracted our predictable pressing most notably in the 2nd half at Stamford Bridge. Head says defeat.

I fancy us against Arsenal, there always seems a vulnerability about them despite their talent. With the power of Wanyama and Morgan back and that little bit of luck we will win.

Man U despite their recent good form still look far from convincing, if our key players keep fit we'll give them a tough game. Well capable of getting a draw.

Will be interesting to see how Tadic does when he comes back, we need him firing again because our creativity has waned since he has.
Beat Palace and I reckon we can get at least 7 points, our form against the big boys has to improve.

 

I really hope we can get all 3 points on boxing day. That would set us up nicely going into the big games over the next week. Chelsea, well i expect us to lose and but being at home you never know. Going to the arsenal game on new years so fingers crossed we can get a positive result from that. We then have ipswich in the cup, beating them would be good for confidence going into the united game. I would be happy with 4 points , anything above and i will be very pleased. As long as we don't slip down the league too far !

 

We're more than capable of getting at least 6 points from those games.

 

Crumbs guys and gals??? I thought this was a happy board!!

 

4 points is what I'm predicting. But we are capable of dominating Palace, Arsenal and Man United. It is just a question of whether we can be clinical or not. And more importantly.. not make individual errors in defence. If we can get those things right then 6+

 

just hope they don't put too much pressure on themselves for the Palace game knowing the 3 after are tough ones

 

It wouldn't be bad.... A win and a draw from Palace/Arsenal (either way) and losing away to united and Chelsea at home is hardly a depressing prediction. The way I am seeing things is that from 18th Jan onwards, we'll have 18 games left with Chelsea and City away being the only games I'd put down now as a defeat. The rest are winnable and that's 16 games.

Top 6 is doable, very doable, no matter what happens in the next four games.

 

Draw with Palace and Arsenal, beat Utd.

5 points