How important is a result at Southampton on Saturday?

[fastwalker]

Ok so on Saturday United face Southampton at St Mary's. The facts are well known; United are fresh off the back of a home defeat against Crystal Palace and the Saints are buoyed after taking all three points away at Brighton. On the face of it and looking at the relative strengths and capabilities of both sides, this should be a relatively straightforward three points for United. However, in recent games we have seen that nothing is that straightforward where United are concerned and we could just as easily come away with nothing.

But in the grand scheme of things how important is the Southampton game. Here are some options for you to consider:

1. Could be important but depends what the results are for other top four sides - let's face it, United are in a mini-league comprising Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal. If they all draw and we draw as well, then as disappointing as it might be it is not the worst thing that can happen. Even if we lose, bad as that will be, if the others draw, Chelsea and Spurs will only be one point better off than us and Arsenal will only be two points better off.

2. Not that important as it is still early days and there is no need to panic - at Christmas last year United were 11 points off fourth and managed to completely eliminate that deficit to temporarily occupy fourth spot. Four points from 12 is relegation form, however with 102 more points on the table there is still time to improve and Ole is at the wheel and we back him to get this right.

3. Not important even if we lose as it will simply confirm what we already knew that we will finish sixth - this is the resignation option (resignation in the sense that we have no expectation that things will improve anytime soon).

4. Massively important if we lose - if we lose it will underline the fact that there is a serious problem at United and the club could be in freefall. A defeat would bring Ole's record to 13 wins five draws and 7 defeats, with six defeats coming in the last 11 games. By any measure that is relegation form and should raise serious questions about whether Ole is fit to lead United in this rebuild.

So how important is the a result against Southampton on Saturday? What do you think?

 

[charlenefan]

None of the above

 

[Antisocial]

3. Not important even if we lose as it will simply confirm what we already knew that we will finish sixth - this is the resignation option (resignation in the sense that we have no expectation that things will improve anytime soon).

This - we all know we’re not set-up to achieve anything this season, so (as long as we don’t end-up in a relegation battle) then individual results aren’t all that important any more.

 

[Stookie]

It’s hugely important. We get to see how the team and manager react to a couple of bad results. A good result and performance could springboard the season (although I hoped that might happen after the first game), a bad result and it could have the opposite effect. It’s got draw written all over it.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

Pretty important I reckon. It's not a massively hard fixture, and it's coming off the back of an embarrassing home defeat. It's the type of fixture that should be used as a spring-board back to form - one of those "right, go out and there and shut up those critics" type games we used to thrive off back in the glory days. However, if we drop more points or - more importantly as a draw is likely - perform fecking abysmally again, the pressure turns up just a little bit more again.

It doesnt help that we're down two men already, four games in.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Pretty important as we kick off at 12.30 on a Saturday, nothing worse than the weekend being ruined by 2.30 on a Saturday

 

[Nou_Camp99]

I don't think it's that crucial at all. Everything about what we're doing right now suggests we are thinking long term instead of short term.

Our transfer business doesn't suggest we are going all out for 4th again. We are clearly going to trust in youth and build towards years 3,4,5 and 6. If we get CL footy then obviously that would be great but I don't think we will and I don't think the club will be that shocked if we don't.

 

[lex talionis]

It's very important to take three points from this fixture.

Say we lose, yes, life goes on. We come back here to endlessly moan, the players continue to collect their paychecks and Ole will suddenly be "under pressure" by the British media, which would be a huge distraction for the club itself. Then we start new threads about Ole's future during the two week break before our next league match.

On a scale of 1 to 10, the importance of taking three points here is an 8.

 

[EvilChuck]

In the grand scheme of things, not that important.

In the current climate of panic and hysteria within the supporters, very important. We need to show that we can win without Smalling, Lukaku, and Sanchez (even though none played for us this season)

 

[Leftback99]

On the face of it and looking at the relative strengths and capabilities of both sides, this should be a relatively straightforward three points for United.

Why should it? They are at home, our best striker is out of the game, so is our left back, our midfield is weak, De Gea is bang out of form.

There's nothing straightforward about this game, this team isn't that good (yet).

 

[Josh 76]

Pretty important I reckon. It's not a massively hard fixture, and it's coming off the back of an embarrassing home defeat. It's the type of fixture that should be used as a spring-board back to form - one of those "right, go out and there and shut up those critics" type games we used to thrive off back in the glory days. However, if we drop more points or - more importantly as a draw is likely - perform fecking abysmally again, the pressure turns up just a little bit more again.

It doesnt help that we're down two men already, four games in.

Every fixture looks hard at the moment. In fact it's been like this for a few years.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Also looking at that table we could feasibly be in the bottom half of the table if we lose which would be grim with an international break coming up for many reasons.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

Every fixture looks hard at the moment. In fact it's been like this for a few years.

They do. Our next four games are very......oooof. Could go either way, all of them.

 

[SAFMUTD]

4. Massively important if we lose - if we lose it will underline the fact that there is a serious problem at United and the club could be in freefall. A defeat would bring Ole's record to 13 wins five draws and 7 defeats, with six defeats coming in the last 11 games. By any measure that is relegation form and should raise serious questions about whether Ole is fit to lead United in this rebuild.

So how important is the a result against Southampton on Saturday? What do you think?

This one. I think it will get pretty ugly if we lose.

 

[sunama]

We'll have good games, followed by bad ones, followed by good ones....and so on.
There is no consistency in how we play so it is doesn't matter how good/bad the result is against Southampton.
We could lose against them and in our very next match, we could beat a top team.
The other issue, which is long running, is that we do well against the better teams, but fail against lesser teams. This still has not been solved.

What will be crucial is our league position in December. If we are in 7th or below, in December, I think Ole will be canned. Specific results have no relevance...but the overall league position does matter.

 

[Lee565]

If we lose to Southampton then I will be scratching my head as to where we will gain any momentum to pick up points just be in the top 6 let alone top 4.

The team needs a win and a clean sheet after looking suspect in defence in the first 3 matches and getting rid of smalling on loan.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Pretty important, because of our recent form.

Let's see how we bounce back after a poor result this season.

 

[Van Piorsing]

It's 4th game of the season for the team that doesn't look much of a title race contender. What to expect from players who demolish Chelsea 4:0 and getting choked at Old Trafford by Palace ?

I can definitely expect random result after chaotic game. Every game is a chance to collect points, so it's definitely important, but sometimes that team plays like nothing is important at all.

 

[gza the genius]

A win won't do much either way, a loss or tie will cause a panic. Fun times.

 

[Adisa]

Performances are more important. We are not getting top four.

 

[Anustart89]

A loss is very significant if we do it in the same way as against Palace, ie play Lingard and James and look to counter-attack against a team that'll be sitting back. That'll show us that Ole really has no plan B, and thus there's no hope in hell for us to get top 4. We might look nice against the top teams and there'll be lots of false dawns, but if you can't beat the smaller teams consistently that's a lot more points lost than grinding out 1-0s against the Tottenhams and the Chelseas.

 

[Relevated]

If we play like a very very good team but lose to a fluke goal then its minor.

If we play like shit and scrape a win then its rubbish.

The method is what we are interested in rather than the result.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Still think we’ll finish sixth and probably draw on Saturday. HTH.

 

[Foxbatt]

Of course it is crucial. We have only won one game in 4 if we lose to Southampton. Ole is going to be under tremendous pressure if he loses again.

 

[haram]

Anyone that says it does not matter are just making excuses for Ole and are losers.

 

[Al-T]

Southsmpton are a poor side and if we lose to them, we are seriously fecked.