Can Saints Make It Three League Wins In A Row For The First Time In Three Years. Tuesday, 2nd Apr 2019 10:24 It has now been almost three years since we last won three games on the trot in the Premier League, is this an opportune moment to do so. The last time we won three games on the bounce in the Premier League was the final games of Ronald Koeman's era when we won the final four to storm into 6th position and another season in Europe. Since then although we have managed three in a row when encompassing cup games we have not managed the feat purely in league action although there have been several occasions that we have managed two only to fail at the third hurdle. The fact that not only have we not managed three but rarely managed two has been a big problem and a reason for our problems over the past couple of seasons. But now we have Ralph Hasenhuttl and he has instilled a passion into our play where we play without fear and refuse to give up, he has turned a team playing with absolutely zilch in confidence and motivation into one of the form teams since the turn of the year. But now comes another big test and one that you feel that we will be up to in a way we would have never dreamed of a few months ago. Our task is to beat Liverpool, the side who have lost the least number of games in the Premier League. It won't be easy, they are an exciting team to watch, full of attacking talent and they can overrun sides. But that could have been said about Spurs and we have to hope that we can have the luck we had in that game and get another result, we know we still have defensive frailties, we know we need that stroke of luck, but these days we also make our own luck with our passion to dig in and keep the opposition out, well most of the time. That has brought our goal difference down and we are a far different proposition than we were before Xmas when we shipped goals left right and centre. Liverpool though are getting nervy, yes they have won their last three Premier League games but they struggled against Spurs on Sunday needing a last minute own goal to see them home, in their last away game they needed a late penalty to beat Fulham and even against Burnley they were far from comfortable for most of the game. Their away form of late has seen them slip up and allow Manchester City back in the title race, the aforementioned Fulham was preceded by goalless draws at Everton & Man Utd a 1-1 draw at West Ham and a 1-0 win at Brighton courtesy of a penalty. Indeed in 2019 they have won only twice on the road in the Premier League since losing at Manchester City on 3rd January, ,making it 2 wins, 3 draws and a defeat in those six games making it 9 points out of 18, in our six away games in that period we have won 2 drawn 2 and lost 2, making it 8 points from the 6 games, although in fairness our two defeats were at Man Utd and Arsenal, this perhaps shows were Liverpool have gone wrong. In the same period our home form has been better than their away form, although we have only played 5 home games we have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1, so perhaps this game is not looking as one sided as some would make out. We are now looking for two wins that will take us on the threshold of the 40 point target set by Ralph Hasenhuttl as the safety mark and if i were to be this game we achieved the first of these in that would be a big boost, but our two straight wins has given us breathing space, yes a third would be nice but it isn't essential, whereas for Liverpool anything less than three points would put a massive dent in their title hopes. That means that whereas we can play without fear that won't be the case for the Reds of Merseyside, they will undoubtedly come at us early doors as Spurs did, but if we don't concede then their nerves will jangle. But Liverpool are a good side and these days specialising in scoring late goals as much as we specialise in conceding them. I hope that we can make it three in a row, relegation worries would almost be banished, but it should also be remembered that this is the last game we have against the top six, the main thing is to keep our momentum going and some times that means not winning games but putting up a good performance, the catalyst for the win against Spurs was the narrow defeat at Old Trafford, their last minute winner didn't feel like that as we had played so well, something changed that day in the mindset of both the players and the fans, belief came flooding back. That will be the case against Liverpool it is going to be just as much about the display as the result, for us defeat won't be terminal, for Liverpool it might be, will their nerves crack or will it be the catalyst that spurs them on to their first ever Premier League title. Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
You need to login in order to post your comments |
   Blogs 31 bloggersQueens Park Rangers Polls[ Vote here ] |
