Wolves arrive in Southampton hoping to make it four straight Premier League wins at St Mary's, Saints really cannot afford to let them achieve that, but will the events of this week fire them up or drag them down.

Saints take on a Wolves team who really have become their bogey team in the Premier League, although we beat them in the FA Cup 2 years ago, our league form against them has been appalling.

In the 9 games we have played them in the since their return to the Premier League in 2018/19 season, we have won just once and that was in the 2nd of that run of games, a 3-1 win at St Mary's back in April 2019 when Nathan Redmond scored twice followed by Shane Long securing the win in the 2nd half.

Although that win was only four years ago only 3 of the 18 players on duty are still at the club, James Ward Prowse, Jan Bednarek & Stuart Armstrong.

Out of the 9 games played, that was our only win, in the other 8 Wolves have won 5 with just two draws, both at Molyneaux.

So things are not looking promising going into the game, we are playing a side we have beaten only once in that 9 game run, but it goes back further than that, you have to add another 5 League games in the Championship to go back to our last win before 2019 against the side from the Black Country, that was a 6-0 win at Molyneaux in 2007.

Add to that the current dire League performances and last but not least the issues with Nathan Jones and it would be a brave man who would put much money on a Saints win on Saturday afternoon.

But the one ray of hope is that following Southampton Football Club often throws up the best results in the worst circumstances, just when you think that there can possibly be no hope comes a big win.

Perhaps this is clutching at straws, but it's the best I can come up with at the moment.

So what team will Nathan Jones select ?

That is anyone's guess, he tells us that we have not seen the real Nathan Jones, that he has compromised his beliefs and that now we will see the real man.

But what is that real man, so far the evidence is that the compromise is that he has had signings forced on him, Mislav Orsic was banished to the B team, whilst his own man James Bree seems now to be a first choice.

Likewise the likes of Lyanco & Caleta-Car being dropped, the latter joining Orsic in the B team.

It seems to me that Jones is a man who does not like the squad he has inherited and is perhaps at odds with the way that Sports Republic want to do things.

Certainly there seems to be friction between Jones & members of his squad and that will only end one way.

Perhaps there is being more made in the media than there is actually on the training ground, certainly we seemed to have turned a corner recently at Everton with the spirit the team showed, but then that was torn apart and some of those who played a part in that now find themselves out.

The upshot is that I want Saints to win this game, I want Nathan Jones to succeed as Southampton manager, perhaps we have derided him for wearing his heart on his sleeve a little too much, I really don't know the answer to this, I can only judge him on what I see and last weeks rant from him was not good.

But in the meantime we are stuck with him and as a fan we all have choices to make, do we sever the team from the manager and back the players to the hilt on Saturday afternoon or do we just wait till we get the chance to turn on Jones.

I am not sermonising here, just trying to give people my own viewpoint, I want Saints to win this game, I want them to win more and i want them to avoid relegation, every point is vital, we cannot afford to lose tomorrow just because it may see Jones sacked.

So what team will we see on Saturday, will it be one firing on all cylinders and comfortable in it's formation and with the spirit it showed at Everton or will it be one where the players are not happy in the way they are being asked to play, with certain players ostracised and one with a spirit that will be dashed at the first setback ?

I honestly do not know the answer to that one.

Photo: Action Images

MytchettSaint added 10:00 - Feb 10 Well we normally used to bend over and let them give it to us under Ralph, who knows about tomorrow. We can but dream!
-2

Ninja9 added 10:19 - Feb 10 I want Saints to win but even if they won the next ten games i still wouldnt want Jones . He is not the man i want leading our club .
2

Block8 added 11:08 - Feb 10 I JUST WANT TO WIN & I personally will do nothing to jeopardise that! Who is in charge is just incidental during the game, lets support the team. COYR
5

SaintPaulVW added 11:12 - Feb 10 I want us to win games and Jones to shut up. After a few rubbish games,we started playing well , things were building nicely. Then the tinkering came. Then the defensive self absorbed rants. Shut up Nathan. We aren't interested in you. Do the good work behind the scenes, get the results then say nothing. Everyone will be happy then.
8

Centurion added 11:31 - Feb 10 I have a feeling we will win against Wolves and results will improve thereafter.
0

Farlow added 11:35 - Feb 10 After the way Jiminez jumped all over him last year i expect he.s hoping Jones picks Bednarek.Why he messed with the central defence i,ll never know.Bednarek cannot read the game.Our only hope is to pick an attacking team and have a go.We have the talent Jones has to pick the right team. COYR
1

A1079 added 11:44 - Feb 10 I am going tomorrow and I am going to support my team as I always do irrespective of who is in charge and for the same reasons as you Nick I will be willing them on to win whilst I am realistic and my expectations will be low. Jones is not the right man for the job in my opinion and one I have had from day one. One win (should he achieve it), will not change that view but should he bring a more long term level of success then I am willing to have my opinion questioned and changed. It won't affect how I support the team when they are playing - aside from the usual frustration of some players not doing the basics and cutting out the errors or if I think they are not trying.

8

JoeEgg added 12:21 - Feb 10 "But the one ray of hope is that following Southampton Football Club often throws up the best results in the worst circumstances, just when you think that there can possibly be no hope comes a big win."
0

JoeEgg added 12:27 - Feb 10 "But the one ray of hope is that following Southampton Football Club often throws up the best results in the worst circumstances, just when you think that there can possibly be no hope comes a big win." I think Villa, Everton, Leeds, Wolves and Forest fans are saying the same thing this season! Even West Ham fans are worried and looking for the big win. The arrogance and inexperience of our new manager presumably singled out by Sports Republic to be our Saviour is simply going to make Saturdays match something of a lottery. We might win, we might draw , we might lose. It is such a shame these changes were not carried out at the end of last season. So not sure I agree with Nick's ray of hope - but my ray of hope is that Chris Sutton predicts that Wolves will win!

0

DPeps added 13:19 - Feb 10 Chances that Mario Lemina will score the winner?
-1

schatfield added 14:34 - Feb 10 I wouldn't mind if we lost tomorrow..... Now hear me out, before you think im a pompey fan or something. If we win, NJ get's the vote to stay on and lose the next 8 games or so, by which time we are for sure relegated. However, if we lose this game, there is a good chance he will get the boot and just maybe we get someone in who can turn things around still.
0

YosemiteSaint added 17:33 - Feb 10 Not sure I'd describe Jones as "wearing his heart on his sleeve." It might be more accurate to say he "wears his spleen on his sleeve."
-1

Blogs 31 bloggers

Oxford United Polls