Saints have to improve their home form or face the prospect of another relegation battle in the coming months.

Saints take on Newcastle United on Saturday in a bid to win only their second home game in the Premier League since 26th November last year, a run that almost cost the club it's Premier league status last season and will almost certainly do so this term unless the team start to win at home quickly.

The problem is a lack of confidence, some will say quality but I don't think it is that, it is about having the confidence in front of our own fans to play without fear and see games through to 90 minutes.

That means the fans being behind the team and not on it's back, some will moan that I am blaming the fans for the poor run of games at home but that is not the case at all, I am pointing out that a football team needs it's supporters and never more than when things aren't going well.

If the fans have no effect on the result of a game then why bother going, we again need to focus as fans on what we want the club to achieve, do we want to stay up and if so do we want to be part of the solution or the problem.

That means turning St Marys on Saturday into a positive enviroment and backing the team and seeing them home.

Conceding late goals both at home and away has now become an albatross on our back and we need to sweep it off with a good win and what better time to start than on Saturday.

At Bournemouth some confidence was restored with a clean sheet so we should cut the team some slack and give them all the help they need to make it two matches in a row.

If we keep it tight at the back then we can start scoring goals, we create enough chances, but we just can't finish them, we need to start doing just that, strikers need confidence and they get that from the backing of the crowd.

So on Saturday come with a positive mood, save the negative comments for after the game if we have lost, lets not moan about something before it has happened.

This game is vital we win it and the world looks a rosier place but if we lose it then we are in trouble, let's make St Mary's a place the team look forward to playing at and not dread it, base each player and each game by current form and not last season.

Photo: Action Images

underweststand added 15:36 - Oct 25 The headline confirms what everyone has been saying since Claude Puel was appointed. Sadly our "strike force " seems to have gone on strike. They have all had reasonable goal talllies in the past... (YES even Shane long), but whatever sort of luck it takes to score seems to have utterly deserted them again this season. I can't believe that they are just hanging around until their contracts run out, but this Saturdays game may be the end of the road for one of the managers. Newcastle have only one way ...UP, and if Saimts lose it could be us down there ....come Christmas. However poorly the strikers are performing it seems that there is only one outcome. One manager will get a breathing space ....and the other will get his P45.

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SanMarco added 16:07 - Oct 25 Aha underweststand - it is El Sackio time again. I remember Hughes being sacked after we beat QPR at Loftus Road (although Adkins soon followed of course) and El Classico is this w/e as well. I reckon the losing manager may well be on his way and I expect one or two will chirp that it would be worth defeat to get rid of Hughes (and they could quote the example of MP saving his job with the Everton 4-1 last season). If we can build on the defensive display last week and restict Newcastle to 0 or at worst 1 then it is up to the attackers - even the likes of Long and Redmond will have to score again one day, won't they??

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Hugh_Jarce added 16:15 - Oct 25 I suppose we could accuse this post of stating the bleeding obvious. But yes our home support has been muted this season - maybe disappointment fatigue has set in. Hopefully the team will generate enough of a spark to get the stands rocking on Saturday - its a two way street
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helpineedsomebody added 16:18 - Oct 25 ITS THE PLAYING SYSTEM PLAYING 7 AT THE BACK IS HARDLY ATTACKING FOOTBALL ARE WE BETTER THAN 3 SEASONS AGO HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH ALL THE PORKY PIES / DRIVEL MH COMES OUT WHEN HE DOES INTERVEIWS. MH HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS ALL THE SACKED MANAGERS SAINTS HAVE EMPLOYED IN THE PAST,THEY/HE JUST CANT WIN A GAME OF FOOTBALL ON A REGULAR BASIS. BUT FOR YEARS&YEARS THE FANS HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS NONSENCE NO MONEY NO HONEY WHERE DO YOU WANT YOUR ASSETS ON THE FIELD OR IN THE OWNERS BANK ACCOUNT WE KNOW NOW

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saintmark1976 added 22:25 - Oct 25 helpineedsomebody, has your caps lock jammed ?
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bigrob68 added 07:21 - Oct 26 The premier league is pointless unless you are prepared to buy success, I am actually starting to wish I had not renewed my ST, watching overpaid ponces, shite bias refs and generally the whole business is a far cry from how it should be, time to let the quite popcorn eating passionless selfie taking people have my seat.
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SaintBrock added 11:05 - Oct 26 Another statement of the bloomin' obvious with no suggestion of a remedy. The fans can do sweet FA Nick it's the woeful way we play football that is to blame. That's not going to change this weekend or any other weekend. We have poor players and a poor manager, they are all culpable in one way or another. There is no solution sadly and relegation is a nigh on certainty.

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