Yet another big game for Saints as they travel to Welsh Wales and Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea isnt the happiest of hunting grounds for Saints, since our promotion to the top flight in 65/66 we have only played them in three seasons  (plus this one)and each trip to either the Vetch Field or the Liberty Stadium we have been beaten.

Indeed you have to go back to 1961/62 to find the last time we registered a win at Swansea, so its about time we changed all that.

This is a crucial game for Saints, I know i say that most weeks, but such is the congestion in the bottom half of the table, it still continues to be the case and this could be a weekend where we either pull away from the drop zone or at worst case scenario find its tentacles dragging our feet again.

We are capable of winning at the Liberty Stadium though, however we need to keep things tight and hopefully with in form Jay Rodriguez recovered get back to our usual game that was missing something against West Ham.

However we should hopefully take notes from our away win at Reading, at the Madejski we gifted the home side three gilt edged chances plus a reasonable penalty claim in the early stages, with better finishing from them we could have found ourselves three nil down to the bottom club before we even got out of the blocks, all from sloppy defensive play and that should tell us that in recent weeks our back four might not have let much in, but the cracks that were there earlier in the season are still there, they have just been papered over a little.

That being the case we need to keep it tight at the back, keep concentration and then do what we do best and thats score goals, Swansea do concede at home, only four teams in fact have let in more than them in the Premier division, but they do score them as well, outside of the top seven clubs, no one has scored more at home than the Swans, so tomorrows game could be full of goals given that only three clubs have conceded more than us on their travels but conversely only four teams have notched more.

There are a few questions to be asked about Saints line up, I would expect Jay Rodriguez to return, but who does he replace, will MoPo opt to drop Steve Davis to the bench to accomodate Ramirez, or will it be Ramirez himself go out or perhaps even Adam Lallana, beyond this little puzzle perhaps the only other decision needing to be made selection wise will be if Luke Shaw is fit again.

So our task is quite clear, if we are to avoid getting dragged into the relegation dogfight again and dispel all lingering doubts, we need to take a minimum of two points from our next two games and ideally three, the sooner we do it the better so a win at Swansea would be just what the doctor ordered, the sooner we dispel those worries the better and then we can start planning for next season properly, the only downside of having a tight first team where the starting XI almost picks itself week in week out means that our fringe players dont get too much of a look in on a regualr basis, once we are safe we can then give them a bit of a run out and see who is up to it and who isnt, truth is our squad has too much deadwood at present and assuming we are in the premier league next year then we need to cut some of that adrift and replace them with players who can truly add to the quality and options available.

I can see us nicking a win here, although years of following Saints have instilled that cautious note in me and I just have that nagging feeling that our shortcomings at the back will get found out and we will suffer our first defeat in six games.

Photo: Action Images

slynch added 10:48 - Apr 19 I thought the Swans were the worst team I'd seen at St Mary's this season. To be fair I think they may have had a few out that day. None-the-less, Saints' new found steel should clip their wings. LOADSAMONEY NEW CONTRACT Clyne, Hooi, Yosh, Shaw Spider, Cork Punch Ram/Lala JROD Lambo Michu won't get the ball past Spider and Cork. Should trash 'em 0-3.
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slynch added 12:04 - Apr 19 ps You might find this interesting... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2311539/Premier-League-table-p
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Fordy added 12:22 - Apr 19 I would like to see Forren come in for this one. Swansea's play is probably closer to the style he will have experienced, particularly in European competition and I can't see Michu not getting the better of Hooiveld. Shaw will come back in but who will he pick out of Ramirez/Lallana and Davis. I think it will be Lallana who sits this one out.
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tiptop added 12:30 - Apr 19 If we had had Jrod and Shaw fit against WHam I think we would have won. Just like if they hadnt had Carroll they prob would have lost. Our chances of getting a win at Swansea are good. Prob better than when we played them at home earlier in the season. Should be a good game of football...with goals...that we will win!!
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SaintNick added 12:40 - Apr 19 Im not sure that Shaw would have been the difference between beating West ham or not, he doesn't offer that much attacking wise as as the goal came direct from a free kick Im not sure he would have influenced that either
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ExiledSupporter added 12:48 - Apr 19 Personally I feel that Davis should not be the selection in question, since he is far more industrious and has a much better engine than the other two. While Ramirez and Lallana have more creative talent they both drift in and out of matches and possess woeful defensive qualities. The combination of Schneiderlein, Cork and Davis as a midfield axis has given us much more control over the balance of play and greater possession over the last three months and eased the extent to which our sometimes chaotic defending has been exposed. Would like to see Forren, but given the self evident doubts that Pochettino has about him, I can't see him appearing for a while yet. And I trust MP's judgement in this, since we have no evidence to make any other judgement. I wonder how Cortese and Reed feel about their latest big buy's nil impact through the second half of the season. Is this lad just another questionable buy on their part. Indisputably Adkins had nothing to do with it and perhaps MP had no say in it either?

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SlippedHalo added 13:06 - Apr 19 Nick, I'm writing as a life-long Saint's fan and season ticket holder. Firstly, I'd like to start with the bad points. There are two really irritating things about your articles: 1. Its not "MoPo" - that's ridiculous, purile, and extremely irritating every time you type that, it's "Pochettino" - just call him by his real name. 2. You need to remember to use commas after clauses. E.G. ...after "However," - that's really annoying too. And use a grammar, spell checker to proof read through before you post it on your website. Good points: I think perhaps sometimes, the grammatical mistakes are because you are such a passionate Saint's fan and that you are just so keen to post your articles up on your website and get your thoughts out there. I LOVE reading your articles, and I think your website, overall, is brilliant. I read it every day, and find it interesting, informative, and generally well researched and opinionated. You obviously have a fantastic knowledge of all things 'Southampton FC' and for that you should be commended ! For instance, you are 100% with everything you've said today in this article above (in my subjective opinion). Fantastic Nick ! Keep up the amazing work on this website (and please take the small criticisms raised in the points above in the spirit they are meant - and that is only to improve an amazing website and - in my opinion - the BEST fan's website on the net.) COME ON YOU SAINTS !!!!! Slipped Halo.

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SlippedHalo added 13:26 - Apr 19 P.S. ... I should add, that I have been reading "The Ugly Inside" fanzine since you originally put it out in paper format (I'm sure like so many of your reader's) all those years ago. I have particularly fond memories of the "Ins" and "Outs" section - that always made me chuckle. You should bring it back. :) Keep up the great work, Nick.
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slynch added 13:56 - Apr 19 SlippedHalo Hear, Hear!
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stmichael added 13:58 - Apr 19 Nick FFS if shaw is fit of course he plays ahead of fox!! Fox did ok against west ham but was not faultless. Beaten for pace allowing crosses in a couple times and not attacking his headers letting the ball bounce causing confusion. He is the under study and everyone except you knows it!
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tiptop added 15:20 - Apr 19 Nic. I think shaw adds confidenceandthat resonates through the team. Jrod is getting better each game right now and has already proved the matchwinning potential he ha..he woud have made a differencehad he been on from the start
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SaintNick added 17:53 - Apr 19 Slipped Halo, thanks for the feedback both good and bad, funnily enough the paper edition of the ugly inside will be 25 years old next week how time flies. Stmichael, keep your hair on, I didn't say that I thought Shaw shouldn't play, I merely commented that was a decision that Pochetino had to make if he was fit, he still has to make that decision even if he like you may think its a no brainer, in your blind love of Shaw and hatred of all things Fox, you cant see things clearly and that's called bigotry, as I said I made no comment in the article I merely pointed out that it was a decision that had to be made, of course Shaw is ahead of Fox, I know that but better and more experienced footballing brains than you and I have spoken that Shaw has been error prone of late and probably needs to be used carefully and not burned out

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Kiwifiedpom1 added 23:21 - Apr 19 Nick, don't you think that much of Saints defence problems could be put down to panic ?
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ExiledSupporter added 11:11 - Apr 20 Certainly think that panic in the defence, that we see all too often, is a reaction to pressure ; but I think that is importantly different from being the cause of our problems. It is the manifestation of our inadequacies - the underlying cause in any situation could be our defenders out of position, poor marking, lack of concentration, failure to cut out a dangerous pass, lack of cover in front of the defence, lack of pace etc...these are all causes which can result in panic at dire moments.

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slynch added 11:29 - Apr 20 Panic? Correct me if I'm wrong but Saints defence have let 3 goals in, in the last 5, the same as the top 4 teams with the exception of Man U have who have let in 4. More panic today, lads, pls.
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