BLOG: Why Saints and Pompey need each other

It's hard to know which big club will be the next to struggle to balance the books.

Last month, Glasgow Rangers chairman Sir David Murray angered rivals Celtic after claiming the Hoops would struggle if Rangers were to go bust.

However, there is a lot to be said for local rivalries which set British football above other European leagues.

Across the continent and the world, derby games are the biggest games of the season. However, the Southampton-Portsmouth rivalry is rarely discussed outside of Hampshire.

This weekend's Solent derby showed both red and blue supporters in Hampshire the importance of the fixture.

The game had everything you would expect from a gritty derby game, with both clubs fighting for their lives. Southampton would be favourites against any opposition in the Championship, but form really does fly out the window when local pride is at stake.

Saturday's exhausting game had brilliant goals, late drama, controversial decisions, a potential red card and more passion than a honeymoon.

Portsmouth and Southampton are clearly heading in different directions. The red half of Hampshire are on the cusp on promotion to the Premier League. Meanwhile, Pompey look set for the drop to the third tier of English football.

It is still unclear what the future holds for Pompey. Financial heartache has troubled Portsmouth for several years, and has culminated in administration and a ten-point deduction.

It Portsmouth are to remain in existence after the summer, they should take inspiration from an unlikely source.

Three years ago, Southampton were relegated to League One after entering administration. It has been a long journey, but the Saints have sorted themselves out financially, and are on the verge of rejoining the promised land. It has been a real role reversal in Hampshire. During Southampton's slump to League One, Pompey will finishing comfortably in the Premier League and were still holders of the FA Cup.

A passionate rivalry gives fans and players extra motivation when it is really needed. Had Portsmouth been playing another top team on Saturday, it is likely they would have faltered and come away empty handed.

Only against the Saints would the current Portsmouth team be able to hit a stunning strike, not once but twice - with the last gasp equaliser coming four minutes into injury time.

It looks like the two teams will not meet for a long time, particularly in the league. However, the potential being there for another Solent derby will mean an awful lot to both sets of fans and players.

Southampton have still not beaten Portsmouth in the league since 2004, and it looks set to remain that way for some time. The most passionate of Southampton fans will not want Pompey to go out of business, solely for the selfish reason of wanting to see their side beat their bitter rivals once again.

BLOG: Saints Still Cruising

Saints hardly broke sweat as they brushed aside Middlesborough.

Before Saturday's big clash between two of the best teams in the league, no-one could have predicted Saints winning so comfortably.

However, it was one of Southampton's most accomplished and confident displays of the season, and Boro were lucky they only lost by three goals.

Three factors seemed to produce the 3-0 win. Firstly, Southampton are incredibly comfortable at St Mary's. The last team to beat Southampton at home were Manchester United - who defeated Saints in the FA Cup in January.

It has been years since Saints had a belief that they can win every game. Even last season's promising campaign in League One didn't produce this sort of feeling throughout the whole squad.

That aside, the decision to play Guly Do Prado up front with Rickie Lambert worked wonders. The Brazilian is best used down the middle, and was effective in the air, scoring with two headers.

When Guly is confident, he is a completely different player - and hopefully he can go from strength to strength. His partnership with Lambert isn't an obvious one at first glance. Although Lambert couldn't find the net against Boro, he did everything but score. He played very important roles in two of his side's goals - and is looking hungry.

Boro's defending at St Mary's was almost laughable. I'm all for attacking football, but Boro neither looked solid at the back or produced much to trouble Kelvin Davis. When West Ham visited St Mary's a couple of weeks ago, they were playing for a draw.

OK, it didn't work as Saints scored before half time. However, they at least had a plan, and understood the threat Saints pose at St Mary's. Southampton will have to get used to teams sitting back against them at home, and will have to be at their best in every game.

It is still very early days, but Southampton are looking incredibly strong at home. The next team to try their luck at St Mary's is Peterborough. Posh shouldn't be under-estimated, though, and don't find goals hard to come-by themselves.

BLOG: Is It Time To Start Thinking Of Promotion?

Last night reminded me of the good old days at St Mary's.

A sell-out for a big game on a Tuesday evening brought much of the city's roads to a standstill. The passion at the club hasn't been stronger in years, and with Saints sitting five points clear at the top of the table, is it time we start forgetting about survival and turn our heads towards promotion to the Premier League?

The Saints have made a perfect start to their return to the second tier of English football. Southampton's form isn't utterly surprising, given the financial situation and the stature of the club. However, the Championship is one of the toughest leagues in Europe - and Saints are certainly turning some heads. With six straight home wins, and another eight points on the road - things are looking bright for the Saints.

However, we shouldn't get carried away. It is only October. It is great to see Saints topping the league, but we're only a quarter of the way through a very demanding season.

Southampton are likely to pick up a few injuries along the way. Although Saints lead the league in goals scored, there is a notable lack of depth up front. Rickie Lambert looked tired against West Ham, as did David Connolly. Saints have a lot of games before Christmas, and it is only going to get tougher for the front two.

Nigel Adkins tried to sign a striker before the transfer window shut, and he will surely look to add some fire power in December. Southampton's midfield is fairly strong. Although Adam Lallana has missed the last two games, Saints continued to dominate in midfield with Richard Chaplow and Jack Cork stepping up. Lallana is injury-prone, and with Saints' depth in midfield, Adkins will not have to overuse the 23-year-old.

Saints have a tough fixture list up until the Christmas break. Games against in-form Crystal Palace, Middlesborough and Peterborough are mixed with big games against Reading and Brighton. The next few weeks will be a big test for Saints.

It is far too early to be even thinking about promotion. However, if Southampton can weather a harsh run up to Christmas, they can maybe start thinking about promotion. Just maybe.

Why Saints need not worry about Chamberlain

Having one of your hottest prospects pinched by a top club is not the ideal start to a new season. However, Saints need not worry about the loss of Alex Chamberlain as their Championship season gets into full swing.

Chamberlain did not feature in Southampton's impressive 3-1 win over Leeds at the weekend. With a minimum of £12 million paid for the teenager, Southampton will think they have got a fantastic deal for a player who has played just one season in League One - and only a handful of goals to show for it.

Steve de Ridder looks like a natural replacement for Chamberlain. WIth experience of playing in the top Dutch Eredivisie, the Belguian winger is quick, scores goals and is a great crosser of the ball. Guly do Prado looked a little off the pace against Leeds on the wing, but de Ridder looked extremely comfortable against Torquay last night.

With a solid central midfield, de Ridder could be the missing piece for Southampton as Jason Puncheon looks set to make his inevitable departure from St Mary's. If some of the £12 million paid to Southampton for Chamberlain is used to bring in new faces, Nigel Atkins can build a solid squad to compete in the Championship.

There are still 45 games to play in the tough league season, so it is important not to get carried away. However, for the first time in a long while - Southampton appear to have some belief and a team spirit, which will be key in the tougher times this season.