I often say on here that I don't expect to win purely for superstitious reasons: I can't bring myself to predict a win in case I jinx it. Pathetic, I know. I went through a phase of seeking out this homeless bloke and giving him money before games because I once gave him money when we won. Pat5hetic. Tomorrow, however, I really do think we'll be beaten. I don't know whether it's the whole Bellamy thing but I have a really bad feeling. If Bellamy doesn't play, I think our attack is fairly pedestrian (the last time he didn't play, we could bring on Dyer and against Brentford, we were struggling 'til he came on). Also, Southampton have had some ace results against decent sides.

How is everyone else feeling? I hope Jim's around with his radiant optimism.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Answers

TEAM NEWS

Craig Bellamy, in trouble off the field, faces a fitness test on a groin injury but hopes to be available to face the Saints

It gets better....

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

We'll draw 1-1, no doubt about it. Like last year we will get a goal before the breake, but they will equalise in the 88th minute or so.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

We'll win three-one. I know this. Friday for tea before the Leeds game I had sausage bacon egg chips and beans, before the Spurs game I had the same for me tea, I had it again 20 mins ago for me dinner today. Voila. Scientific proof.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Hope I don't have to do that before every match. Fat git that I am.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Nick, you'll do what you have to do to ensure a result....stop complaining and get your face back in that plate! ;))

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Dougal - stop it now! These gut feelings mean nothing as I've found to my cost. I had a gut feeling that we'd trounce Bolton but it was much closer than that as you know.

We poor supporters just have to face the fact that it's all out of our control

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

LOL, Gav.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Any connection between Craig's "groin injury" and the alleged assault of a young female person?

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

No, she was being a pain in the arse, or being a pain to the arse depending on your feelings about Dyer.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Negative gut-feelings have been worth nowt so far this season. Get a grip man.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

It's possibly the memory of last season's home game against Soton which was,a mong many candidates last season, our worst home game for seasons. Utter gutless crap. I know we are made of sterner stuff these days, but we never seem to react that well to scandal. Remember beating Villa 3-0, being on top of the World, being caught out with scandal in Spain and getting stuffed by Fulham next game?

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Even Gav hasn't been on yet to proclaim 'woe, woe and thrice woe'. Or did I miss it?

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Consistency is a virtue Doug. Now if only the team could achieve the same :~))

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

teamtalk.com:

"GORDON STRACHAN has been named Barclaycard Manager of the Month for January, after leading Southampton through their toughest set of fixtures so far this season."

This just about eguarantees three points for the Toon.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

So far I've no gut feeling either way. Probably because I have no idea what to expect from us tomorrow so not getting worked up over it. All I ask, as always, is that the players do their best and WORK...HARD. Of course I want us to win, and we should win, but nothing is a guarantee. Think I'll have a seat at Gav's Half Empty Pint Emporium. ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Just cos i'm keeping my mouth shut doesn't mean that I think we're gonna do well! there has been way way and thrice WAY too much talk of titles and winning stuff on this board for the last week or two....you're all due a nasty big fall and it's gonna happen tomorrow...

I'll be safe in my miserable world where NUFC always let me down...

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

We'll lose, but only after we've gone 2:0 up and we all start imagining the unimaginable. Oh, and Jenas will break a leg. The only reason we're doing so well is so that we can be dropped from a greater height.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Dropping points tomorrow is just not acceptable. My life would be a misery for another year....

We WILL give Southampton a really good hiding tomorrow. I expect a 4 goal victory margin. We WILL wint the title this year!

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

wint: (verb) winning by an enormous margin!

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

We'll win the morra - not so confident aboot the PL mind.

BTW - I've migrated to Win2000 Geordie. I felt WinNT (was as user-friendly as a cornered Mackem).

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Bloody hell - dont' tempt fate you negative lot!!! is this some kind of reverse psychology?

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Wish I hadn't come on here. This false bravado scares the sh1t out of me.

Surely, nobody can really believe we'll have anything other than a game that will be a bliddy sight harder to win than the one against Bolton.

Soton are not the pushovers they appear to be, reading some of these postings.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

We should beat them. We can beat them.

But will it be the Toon that played Villa and Leeds off the park that turns up or the Toon that did its best to get beaten by Derby County..

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

PB - take a look at the table. We are 2nd, notloB are 18th and Soton are 13th. Yes, I know our past history may show that we will struggle against such teams and last Saturday was a case in point. However, the fact that we are so far ahead of these teams indicates we are capable of beating them, and even aiming for a top 6 place, should do so. As I've said many times before, I don't believe we will win the Premiership. But I do believe we'll beat Soton.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

3-1 win, nee bother

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

That's a win for the Toon before anyone asks

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Whew! It's bad luck to not be specific. ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

OK, if I have to be specific,

Southampton will score first, Chris Marsden after 22 minutes and 31 seconds.

Bellamy will then score a header on 24 minutes and 1 second.

We will score a second through a Robert volley after 68 minutes and 4 seconds, and Shearer will wrap it up with a penalty just as the clock hits 91 minutes and 55 seconds.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

I'm not saying we'll lose, it's just quite a few of us seem to be thinking it'll be a doddle. It won't.

Just looking at the table positions, you're right, Bolton were really no hopers, and Soton shouldn't have much more hope, but oh that it was that easy.

Of course we can win. Of course we should win, but the cup and lip adage springs readily to mind, and our past history isn't far enough in the past for me to be anything but cautiously optimistic.

Definitely not confident enough to make predictions based on nothing more than wishful thinking and bravado.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

It certainly won't be a doddle. We will work hard and edge the game in all areas of the field. We WILL score at least 4 goals. Saints can not match that.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

I always worry when it's this lot.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Le Tissier's last season. Hmmm.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

If Paul is correct in his specifications, then think all the players and officials shoulod have saliva tests after the event.

However sounds a goodish score.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Plus, it's Season Ticket UNLUCKY FOR SOME 13 .

Don't say I didn't warn youse. :-{E}

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Congratulations Mystic Paul!

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Two of the scorers right as well as the final score isn't bad :)

Strangely, I had Marian Pahars typed in first but changed it as I wasn't sure whether it was Marian or Marion.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002