By the time Saints kick off they will have a very clear picture of the league table.

Saints late start against Sheffield Wednesday means that before they run out of the tunnel they will know exactly where they stand in the league and whether they will be needing to win to hang on to the shirt tails of Peterborough and Huddersfield or whether its to take a big leap forward, but it doesnt matter what the other results are, the thing is Saints do have to win.

Its not going to be an easy game, in some respects i would rather be going to Hillsborough than playing them at home, there the Owls would be under pressure from their own fans to push forward and win, whereas here they are sure to want to concentrate on getting a point than losing another game heavily to a promotion challenger this week.

As we all know when Saints are faced with massed defence they struggle to break it down.

But on the plus side Saints are on a roll, four wins out of five has changed the complexion of the season and the good thing is we have achieved those wins whilst not playing particularly well for long periods of those games, this is a plus point because it will give the side confidence, they will start to realise if they can win games when they are not firing on all four cylinders then when we hit top gear we can really start to win games.

Certainly we have the firepower and it will be interesting to see if Nigel Adkins sticks with the starting 11 at Bournemouth, one possible change may be putting Aaron Martin back in for Jaidi and that looks like being the only likely switch, although as always Im a little worried about our left back.

Certainly we have the firepower to score goals with both Barnard and Lambert now scoring regularly and the midfield also contributing, we just need to make sure we create the chances.

Its now a war of attrition for Saints, they have to keep winning and win the games in hand to put pressure on the two teams above us, 85 points remains the target and its achievable, sadly not just by us but Huddersfield and Peterborough as well, for our part its important that we keep winning at home, if we do that every away win is then a bonus and puts the pressure on.

To be brutally honest, Saints have thrown to many games away this season, yes every team loses some, but we have thrownaway far too many points due to por defending and this is now costing us meaning we have no leeway.

We now have to make the others worry about us.  

Photo: Action Images

Southampton Polls