The time for excuse is over, th time for winning is now. 

There is no excuse for anything but three points on Saturday against Yeovil at SMS, thats not belittling the Glovers nor being arrogant, but the fact is that even given the squad wwe started the season with, we should have won games, add to that the number of players who have been brought in, making us the biggest spending club in the division and the plain truth is that it is not acceptable to be sat in our position not having won a game.

The fans have been patient, they have allowed Alan Pardew to assemble his side and they have in the main remained behind him as he has done so, despite a general feeling that his tactical decisions and substitutions have been a little bit lacking.

But with the last two pieces in the jigsaw in Papa Waigo and Rhadi Jaidi firmly in place, the consensus is that the excuses are no longer valid and anything less than a win is totally unacceptable.

As mentioned in an article yesterday, Pardew's selection problems are good ones to have, in fact there only seem to be a couple of real decisions to make, the keeper & back four should pick itself, Davis then Thomas, Trotman, Jaidi Harding, in midfield James and Hammond are bolted on for the centre and then AP's got to make a decision, assuming that he feels that Lallana is also bolted on after his goal and performance at the Valley, then he has to decide whether to put Waigo out wide and drop Mills, putting Saganowski up front with Lambert which would be very harsh on Mills or to merely keep those midfield four intact and slot Papa up front alongside Lambert.

I think he will opt for the former with Saganowski on the bench, I sinccerely hope that he doeesnt bottle it a little and go for the 4-5-1 as played at Charlton, using Waigo and Mills wide with Lallana tucking inside, whilst effective against Charlton, it would be too defensive for a home game, Saints have to win and win well to keep the fans on their side.

The supporters can play a big part, they need to continue the marvellous vocal backing of the previous home games and stay with the side even if things arent going Saints way, if they do that then all the ingredients are there for our first three points of the season.

Yeovil have made almost as bad a start to the season as Saints with six points from their opening games, but five of those points have come from their home games, with only a solitary draw to show from their three away games, they are poor on the road so Saints in many respects cant complain about the visiting side, only Tranmere have a worse away record than Yeovil in the division.

This is also of course our first ever league encounter against Yeovil, however we have met them in the Carling Cup, three years ago to be exact, when 20,563 fans watched the Glover demolished 5-1 with a Cohen own goal opening the scoring, then after a Yeovil equaliser on the half hour, a Rudi Skacel scorcher from 25 yards two minutes later opening the floodgates for further goals from Wright Phillips, Dyer and Jones.

Of the 16 on duty that night, only two remain with Saints, Davis and Adam Lallana who was making his Saints debut that evening. 

Lets hope its more of the same on Saturday.

Photo: Action Images

Southampton Polls