Last season the home win against Spurs saw a magnificent win that restored the faith in Saints supporters, can history repeat itself ?

Saints go into this fixture without fear after a great December that has seen us haul ourselves out of the relegation zone, now the trick is to stay out of it and to do so we need to average a point a game between now and the end of the season.

That is an achievable total, but to do so we need to start to improve on our home form, that to be blunt has been awful, but New Year and hopefully new results at St Mary's

Ralph Hasenhuttl has got back to basics and this has paid dividends, he has did what he did a year ago working with a limited number of players in the squad and moulding team spirit.

Therefore the team line up will remain virtually the same for this fixture as in previous games, but I think there may be a couple of changes in the starting line up, I would expect Sofiane Boufal to drop to the bench and the question will be who will he replace him with, the choices are Stuart Armstrong who had a great game at Chelsea or Moussa Djenepo who sparked the comeback against Palace.

Personally I think the manager will go for Armstrong for his running and look to Djenepo as an impact player off the bench.

Otherwise things are in general working, yes there are issues still in defence, but sometimes team spirit has overcome those and sometimes it doesn't and we need a signing or two in January.

But that won't help us for the Spurs game and we have to go with what we have and what we have is a team good enough to pull itself out of trouble and playing a team in Spurs who relatively speaking are having a worse season than us, we have to make sure it gets no better on New Years Day.

So we go into this game without fear, but we want to make sure that we are up to speed from the first to the final whistle.

I said back last season that as we left St Mary's after beating Spurs there was an outbreak of happiness at St Mary's, this time we go into the game with optimism and hope, lets remember why we love football and we love our team and that is to enjoy supporting them through the thick and thin, in the years I have been supporting Saints most seasons have had as many low points as high ones, not every game can be entertaining and can be won.

A game is more enjoyable when you support the team and get behind it win or lose, rather than winding yourself up by ranting at individual players, let's get the pride back in Southampton Football Club and all that means , Sky Sports will have a team on regularly that you can support if it's purely entertainment and wining that matters, for me it is about Southampton Football Club.

Photo: Action Images

ElSanto added 10:35 - Dec 31 Yes, Nick. Love when you make me feel even prouder to be a saints fan! Come on boys!!!!!!!
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Boris1977 added 10:36 - Dec 31 Well said Nick. I think the majority of tui readers would love to beat spuds almost more than red Merseyside. We don't have a great record against the special one (TM) but hopefully we put in a good shift and give their defence grief.
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1970 added 11:03 - Dec 31 we need a gift like they gave us last season when they imploded so spectacularly, they will be at full strength but if Norwich can almost turn them over through there work rate then I'm sure we can coyr
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schatfield added 13:40 - Dec 31 The good news is that they stil have hugo injured (and our ex keeper gazzinger isnt the best) and Son banned. The bad news is we are playing at home.....
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underweststand added 15:58 - Dec 31 For me .. an win against Spurs feels ALMOST as good as beating Pompey.
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