To bad to stay up

You've heard the saying to good to stay up. The phase has been thrown at many a team, West Ham United were the most recent example of this. It describes a team with a quality squad who are simply to talented to be relegated.

However this season in the championship we have a team who have so little potential to succeed they are almost a forgone conclusion. The team I am describing is Southampton. Today they were beaten convincingly 3-0 at home to Watford with the away side never getting out of 2nd gear.

The home side also managed to miss two penalties in the first half alone with David McGoldrick and and Paul Wotton the guilty men. As if it was possible the Saints were worse at the other end of the pitch where they gifted Watford three first half goals all coming from right wing crosses from set pieces.

Now rarely with defending from set pieces does on three occasions the mistakes come from individual errors, and as bad as Olly Lancashire's performance was today he can't be held culpable for every goal.

The defense as a unit, from Kelvin Davis onwards was an embarrassment. It was schoolboy stuff at the back today and Southampton couldn't raise themselves to the challenge. Davis didn't have a chance with any of the goals but I'm sure he could have contributed with the defense responsibilities.

This young side don't know how to do anything right now. They can't defend, they can't score and they can't grind out results something which is a necessary trait for any successful championship side.

They can pass the ball I'll give them that but once they get to the final third, they have forgotten how to break down sides, with just 11 goals from 11 games all season they definitely have a problem up front.

For me these problems can be rectified. Putting a goalscorer upfront is the first thing to do. The use of Stern John has been almost scares. he scored 20+ goals last season and kept Southampton up last season almost single handedly.

How the manager hasn't looked at last season's states and used them I have no idea, the sooner John is played the more goal threat they will have. At the back they lack a bit of experience a bit like they did last season. They brought in Chris Lucketti and then Chris Perry, for which Perry is still at the club. He should be drafted in to the back four to give them some sort of organizational presence.

I know the manager has kept with this young side and good on him to sticking to his guns, but it has to change at some point, the defense is leaking goals and the attack can't score to save themselves, and if they want to these things have to change.

There's no shame in changing things now, he's tried this ploy and it hasn't worked now is time to change it or his job and Southampton's status as a Championship team is over.

Not to put a complete downer on this blog, but I believe either way, even if Arsene Wenger is brought in as manager, the side will still be relegated. Things have to change dramatically to make sure it isn't embarrassing for the south coast side.