Saints have two games left this season but they have the ability to win both and perhaps finish the season with a flourish and in doing so make club history.

There is no doubt that the visit to Tottenham Hotspur will be tough on Sunday and the question is, has Spurs dramatic blow up from a two goal half time lead at Chelsea, helped or hindered Saints cause ?

The hope is that it has helped them and that Spurs with injury and suspension problems will be deflated and give Saints the chance to record their first victory over the North London Soccer Chickens since our return to the Premier League four years ago.

Whilst Spurs are the only team currently in the Premier league that Saints have not beaten at some stage in the past four seasons, they are not quite alone in that dubious honour, the only other team that has played in the Premier in the past four seasons that Saints haven't managed a victory over is Wigan Athletic, the Lancashire club winning at St Mary's and scoring a late equaliser up North in a 2-2 draw.

So if Saints can beat Spurs it will be a landmark victory and one that given the history between the two clubs over the past 15 years, will be very sweet for Saints fans.

If we can register a win at White Hart Lane that will put us in good stead for the final game at home to Crystal Palace, who hopefully will have their eyes on their trip to Wembley a week later.

But where will that leave Saints if they can win both games to end the season with a flourish on 63 points, a total that in itself will make club history as our biggest in the Premier League era. ?

I think it would leave us above Liverpool, the Reds have three games left and are two points behind, if we win both games they have to win all three, they have Watford at home on Sunday, followed by Chelsea at home three days later and end the season at West Brom.

Hopefully they will be distracted by the Europa League, if they are and we finish ahead of them that will be history in the making as they are the only team in the entire League that we have never managed to end a season in front of, it would be good to do it now and in doing so perhaps qualify for the Europa League although 7th would need Manchester United to win the FA Cup to do that.

Can we finish higher, it will be tough but Man Utd travel to Norwich at the weekend and could drop a point there, likewise West Ham are at home to Swansea, but that looks a home bankers.

Next Tuesday though they both meet each other and if we have won at Spurs depending on what they both did at the weekend, this could be a crucial game for us.

The last week sees United host Bournemouth and the Hammers at Stoke.

I can see United getting 7 points from their 3 games meaning we wont catch them, if they did I can see West Ham getting a mere 4, a home win, defeat at Old Trafford and a draw at Stoke, they do that and they finish on 63 the same as we would be on if we win both games.

They start this final part of the season with a goal difference 3 better than us, we truly need to overcome that, if we were to finish equal on points and goal difference they have scored 7 more than us, could we make that up in only two games ? I doubt it.

So there is very much all to play for going into the final two games, we can have a brilliant end to the season or we could fall just short of real success, sadly if it is the latter there are plenty of occasions this season where we can look back at stupid points dropped.

Photo: Action Images

schatfield added 16:15 - May 4 Good news is that its just been announced that both chelsea and spurs are going to be done by the FA for the last match. It looks like Dembele will be banned and he is a quality player for them.
2

IWOZTHERE added 16:34 - May 4 A really good finish would enhance the 'feelgood factor' no end, and signal to the squad (and Ron) that it's a good place to be. Most important is RK putting pen to paper. Until that happens I can't see much in the way of specific planning or serious transfer activity taking place. Despite his laid back attitude over his contract, I suspect that Ron may be looking for more commitment and assurances from the board?

1

Bettwsresident added 10:19 - May 5 I was pessimistic a few weeks back, no chance against Man C and Spuds...now my normal optimistic nature is back. COYRs A strong finish would bode well for next season and despite the trials, tribulations and frustrations this season (Norwich away, Villa and Man U at home!) the one thing of note this year is that for the first time we have regularly picked up points against the big teams with victories over Man C , Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. Just need to add Spurs to that list. I no longer fear the worst when the Saints step onto the pitch against a 'big' side, we are fast becoming one. Last season our average position at the end of each week was 4.6, this season it is 9.5 and yet we could finish higher than 7th. The end of the season is showing how much stronger our squad is this year.

0

SanMarco added 14:14 - May 5 hI Bettwsresident, just a couple of questions: why didn't the 'stronger squad' help us in November/December when we had the worst run we've had since promotion? 'Stronger squad' seems to be the suggested quid pro quo for selling our best players each summer - if so shouldn't it iron out these costly bad runs?
0

BoondockSaint added 14:26 - May 5 We picked up points against big teams because they were all bad by their standards. Unfortunately, we dropped even more points against lesser competition than usual.
0

Scummer added 14:44 - May 5 When those "big" teams play us I actually feel more confident. I think we are better when we counter attack and stretch. Too many games this season have been a struggle because either a) we break to slowly, rather than incisively as we did on Sunday or b) the opposition is set up themselves to defend and break.
1

Scummer added 14:44 - May 5 When those "big" teams play us I actually feel more confident. I think we are better when we counter attack and stretch. Too many games this season have been a struggle because either a) we break to slowly, rather than incisively as we did on Sunday or b) the opposition is set up themselves to defend and break.
0

SaintBrock added 17:44 - May 5 Nick you do complacency and under estimating the opposition as well as anybody I know. No way will Pochettino want to lose this one partly because there is no love lost between him and us but mainly because Arsenal are only three points behind them breathing down their scruffy yobo necks.
0

IWOZTHERE added 10:37 - May 6 I'm with Scummer. We look much better when we set up 'defensively' and we have the players to take advantage of the extra space up front. I also agree with San Marco....OK we have a deeper squad, but stronger? is debatable. In any case, the value of that is secondary to that of the 'First Eleven' where we are weaker in midfield and at right back IMO.
0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Arsenal Polls